First Golds of Guadalajara

-80kg

The final pitted Jon Cintado Arteche of Spain against Team Korea’s Woo-hyeok Park. It promised to be a scorcher between two very different warriors. Cintado Arteche is a physical bulldozer and a wicked spin kicker; Park is an incredibly mobile player with a vast arsenal of technique.

It was intense from the start, as both fighters attacked with venom. Park racked up two points with two punches; the crowd roared at the Spaniard’s spin kicks, which missed by a whisker. It ended 2-0 to Park.

In Round 2, Cintado Arteche had to fight forward, but it was Park who set the pace, kicking forward, putting his opponent on the back foot and taking the lead from the outset. In the final seconds, Cintado Arteche surged forward with jump spinning kicks, driving Park off the mats, but it ended 8-4 to the Korean. And with the best of three rounds in his pocket, it was gold to the Korean, silver to the Spaniard.

It was Asia all the way on Day 1 of the Guadalajara 2022 World Taekwondo Championships, with two new champions from China and Korea being crowned.

Team China’s Zhongshi Luo won the W-57kg division while Team Korea’s Woo-hyeok Park won the M-80g category after a full day of fights at the Centro Acuatico CODE Metropolitano.

-57kg

Mehran Barkhordari of Iran – who had fought a sensational battle against Park in the semis – and consistent medalist Seif Eissa of Egypt went home with bronzes.