China opens taekwondo gold account at Hangzhou Asiad

Gold Medalists of Team China attend the awarding ceremony for Taekwondo Mixed Gender Team Gold Medal Contest at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 25, 2023. (Xinhua/Jiang Wenyao)

HANGZHOU, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- China claimed the taekwondo mixed team gold medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games here on Monday.

Following the individual poomsae events on the inaugural day, the mixed team competitions brought even more excitement to the taekwondo court on the second competition day.

Seven teams participated in the event, each consisting of two male and two female athletes with a combined weight limit of 135kg for females and 160kg for males. After the initial set, coaches could substitute players after 20 seconds of play in the second and third sets.

China's team, comprised of Song Zhaoxiang, Cui Yang, Song Jie, and Zhou Zeqi, easily defeated Vietnam 88-18 in the semifinals.

In the final, South Korea's Seo Geon-woo, Kim Jan-di, Lee Da-bin, and Park Woo-hyeok gained an early advantage in the initial set. However, China turned the game around in the second set with a score of 60-57 and secured the gold medal with a burst of forceful kicks in the last 10 seconds, finishing with a final score of 84-77.

"Our team members played exceptionally well, and we received tremendous support from the coaching staff and the audience. It's fantastic that we were able to win," said Zhou after the game.

Guo Qing, the runner-up at the world championships, reached the women's 49kg final, but the 23-year-old Chinese athlete was defeated by Thailand's Panipak Wongpattanakit, who leads the Olympic qualification points rankings.

In the men's 58kg event, South Korea's Jang Jun secured gold by beating Mahdi Hajimousaeinafouti from Iran, while Cheng Kai earned another bronze medal for China.

Gold Medalists of Team China, Silver Medalists of Team South Korea, Bronze Medalists of Team Viet Nam and Team Uzbekistan (L-R) attend the awarding ceremony for Taekwondo Mixed Gender Team Gold Medal Contest at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 25, 2023. (Xinhua/Jiang Wenyao)

Panipak Wongpattanakit (L) of Thailand competes with Guo Qing of China during the Taekwondo Women's 49kg Gold Medal Contest at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 25, 2023. (Xinhua/Jiang Wenyao)

Gold Medalist Panipak Wongpattanakit of Thailand attends the awarding ceremony for the Taekwondo Women's 49kg Gold Medal Contest at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 25, 2023. (Xinhua/Jiang Wenyao)

Silver Medalist Guo Qing of China attends the awarding ceremony for the Taekwondo Women's 49kg Gold Medal Contest at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 25, 2023. (Xinhua/Jiang Wenyao)

Cui Yang (L) of China competes during the Taekwondo Mixed Gender Team Gold Medal Contest between China and South Korea at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 25, 2023. (Xinhua/Jiang Wenyao)

Zhou Zeqi (L) of China competes during the Taekwondo Mixed Gender Team Gold Medal Contest between China and South Korea at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 25, 2023. (Xinhua/Jiang Wenyao)

Mahdi Hajimousaeinafouti (R) of Iran competes against Jang Jun of South Korea during the Taekwondo Men's 58kg Gold Medal Contest at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 25, 2023. (Xinhua/Jiang Wenyao)