World Taekwondo 2025 Gala Awards honours world’s best in Fujairah as global Taekwondo family gathers at Al Bahar Hotel
FUJAIRAH, UAE — The global Taekwondo family gathered in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, to celebrate another outstanding year of sporting excellence at the World Taekwondo 2025 Gala Awards, held at the Al Bahar Hotel. MASTKD was present on site as the ceremony brought together the sport’s leading figures to recognise achievements from the 2025 season and honour the athletes, coaches, referees and Member National Associations (MNAs) who left a lasting mark over the past year.
FUJAIRAH, UAE — The global Taekwondo family gathered in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, to celebrate another outstanding year of sporting excellence at the World Taekwondo 2025 Gala Awards, held at the Al Bahar Hotel. MASTKD was present on site as the ceremony brought together the sport’s leading figures to recognise achievements from the 2025 season and honour the athletes, coaches, referees and Member National Associations (MNAs) who left a lasting mark over the past year.
The ceremony welcomed Dr. Chungwon Choue, vice presidents and members of the Council, officials from the Continental Unions and Member National Associations, as well as H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi.
President Choue: gratitude to Fujairah and a year defined by growth and new talents
In his opening address, President Choue expressed his sincere gratitude to the Crown Prince of Fujairah and reflected on a memorable year for Taekwondo, highlighting the sport’s continued global development, competitive excellence, and the emergence of new talents across both Olympic and Para Taekwondo.
Male Athlete of the Year: Henrique Marques Rodrigues Fernandes
The Male Athlete of the Year award went to Brazil’s Henrique Marques Rodrigues Fernandes following an exceptional season that included a memorable gold medal at the Wuxi 2025 World Taekwondo Championships. He also triumphed at the World Taekwondo Grand Prix Challenge events in Bangkok and Muju Taekwondowon, and won a bronze medal at the first-ever World Taekwondo Under 21 Championships in Nairobi.
Female Athlete of the Year: Sarah Chaâri
Belgium’s Sarah Chaâri was crowned Female Athlete of the Year after another standout year on the international stage. Her results included gold at the Wuxi 2025 World Taekwondo Championships, along with silvers at the Bangkok 2025 World Taekwondo Grand Prix Challenge and the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games, further cementing her status among the sport’s elite.
Para Taekwondo: Athlete of the Year honours
The world’s leading athletes in Para Taekwondo were also recognised during the evening.
Morocco’s Ayoub Adouich received the Para Taekwondo Male Athlete of the Year award after securing gold at the 2025 Open Challenge.
China’s Yujie Li was named Para Taekwondo Female Athlete of the Year following an outstanding season that saw her claim gold medals at the President’s Cup Asia and the Asian Championships.
Referees of the Year: Ivan Penava and Ji Hyun Yeom
In recognition of their contribution to the sport, Ivan Penava of Croatia was named Male Referee of the Year, while Ji Hyun Yeom of Korea received the Female Referee of the Year award.
Coach of the Year: Hechmi Jendoubi
The Coach of the Year honour went to Tunisia’s Hechmi Jendoubi, who helped his athletes win the country’s first two gold medals in the history of the World Taekwondo Championships in Wuxi.
Meanwhile, Nepal’s Kabiraj Negi Lama received the Para Taekwondo Coach of the Year award after playing a key role in the country’s historic first-ever Paralympic medal in 2024, as well as their bronze medal at the Asian Youth Para Games Dubai 2025.
Kick of the Year: CJ Nickolas
The Kick of the Year Award was presented to CJ Nickolas of the USA, whose dynamic techniques and explosive power consistently electrify the arena and captivate fans around the world.
Institutional awards: MNA of the Year recognitions
In the institutional categories, the Chinese Taekwondo Association received the MNA of the Year (Contribution) award in recognition of the successful organisation of the Wuxi 2025 World Taekwondo Championships.
USA Taekwondo was presented with the MNA of the Year (MNA Ranking) award, based on the latest World Taekwondo MNA rankings.
Appreciation plaque for Dr. Ahmed AlZeyoudi
At the Gala Awards, President Choue presented an appreciation plaque to Council Member and UAE Taekwondo Federation President Dr. Ahmed AlZeyoudi, in recognition of his efforts to promote Taekwondo in the region through the Fujairah Open and the hosting of the Gala Awards 2025.
Looking ahead: 2026 Gala Awards confirmed for Astana
The World Taekwondo 2025 Gala Awards once again provided a fitting celebration of excellence, dedication and progress across the global Taekwondo community, bringing an outstanding year for the sport to a close.
World Taekwondo also confirmed that the 2026 World Taekwondo Gala Awards will be held in Astana, Kazakhstan, on November 29, in conjunction with the World Taekwondo Grand Prix Final scheduled on November 27–29.
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