Pacheco extends dominance as Turavinau and Xing strike gold at Muju 2026
The Muju Taekwondowon 2026 World Taekwondo Grand Prix completed its second day of competition on September 6 with three new champions crowned at the iconic Taekwondowon in Korea.
Brazil’s Maria Clara Pacheco defeated Olympic champion Yu Jin Kim once again, while Raman Turavinau earned Belarus’ first World Taekwondo Grand Prix title and China’s Jiani Xing prevailed in a dramatic three-round final on day two in Muju.
Maria Clara Pacheco of Brazil extended her dominance in the women’s -57kg category, Raman Turavinau of Belarus captured the men’s -80kg title and China’s Jiani Xing secured gold in the women’s -67kg division.
Their victories followed the opening-day titles won by China’s Xiaolu Fu in the women’s -49kg and Korea’s Jun Seo Bae in the men’s -58kg.
The event, held from September 5 to 7, represents the first World Taekwondo Grand Prix staged in Korea and brings together many of the leading athletes in the Olympic weight categories.
Pacheco defeats Olympic champion once again
Maria Clara Pacheco continued her impressive run against Korea’s reigning Olympic champion Yu Jin Kim in the women’s -57kg final.
The Brazilian took the opening round 5-0 and controlled the second to secure an 8-2 victory, with Kim’s only points arriving late in the contest.
Pacheco has now defeated the Korean star in four major competitions: the 2025 Grand Prix Challenge in Muju, the Wuxi 2025 World Taekwondo Championships, the Rome 2026 Grand Prix and the latest meeting at Taekwondowon.
The Brazilian also faced Morocco’s Amina Dehhaoui in a repeat of their Rome 2026 semi-final. Both rounds finished level at 4-4, but Pacheco prevailed on superiority each time.
Dehhaoui, who recently earned silver at the Taranto 2026 Mediterranean Games, shared the bronze medals with Croatia’s Nika Karabatić. The result marked Karabatić’s first podium at a World Taekwondo Grand Prix.
Women’s -57kg
- Gold: Maria Clara Pacheco — Brazil
- Silver: Yu Jin Kim — Korea
- Bronze: Amina Dehhaoui — Morocco
- Bronze: Nika Karabatić — Croatia
Historic Grand Prix gold for Belarus
Raman Turavinau followed his European Championship triumph earlier this year with his first World Taekwondo Grand Prix title.
The Belarusian defeated the United States’ CJ Nickolas in a closely contested men’s -80kg final.
Nickolas appeared set to take the opening round, but Turavinau scored late to secure a 4-3 victory. A head kick proved decisive in the second, allowing him to establish a 3-0 advantage before closing the round 3-2.
The result delivered Belarus its first gold medal in World Taekwondo Grand Prix history.
Turavinau had previously defeated reigning world champion Henrique Marques Rodrigues Fernandes of Brazil in the semi-finals.
Nickolas advanced through an all-American contest against Isaiah Young, who celebrated his first Grand Prix medal.
Men’s -80kg
- Gold: Raman Turavinau — Belarus
- Silver: CJ Nickolas — United States
- Bronze: Henrique Marques Rodrigues Fernandes — Brazil
- Bronze: Isaiah Young — United States
Xing prevails in three-round final
China collected its second gold medal of the competition through Jiani Xing in the women’s -67kg category.
Xing defeated Spain’s Lena Moreno Reyes in a final decided over three rounds. The Chinese athlete scored late to take the first 2-0, but Moreno Reyes responded by claiming the second after a 3-3 tie.
Xing produced her strongest performance in the decisive round and sealed the championship with a commanding 9-2 victory.
The Chinese representative overcame Korea’s Min Ju Kwak in the semi-finals, while Moreno Reyes defeated Croatia’s Dora Meštrović.
The entire women’s -67kg podium changed from the opening Grand Prix of the season in Rome. Xing secured her first gold medal at this level, while Moreno Reyes improved upon the bronze she earned at the 2025 Grand Prix Challenge in Muju.
Women’s -67kg
- Gold: Jiani Xing — China
- Silver: Lena Moreno Reyes — Spain
- Bronze: Min Ju Kwak — Korea
- Bronze: Dora Meštrović — Croatia
Five champions crowned in Muju
After two days of competition, China leads the gold-medal count with titles from Xiaolu Fu and Jiani Xing. Korea, Brazil and Belarus have earned one championship each through Jun Seo Bae, Maria Clara Pacheco and Raman Turavinau.
The Muju Taekwondowon 2026 World Taekwondo Grand Prix concludes on September 7 with the women’s +67kg, men’s -68kg and men’s +80kg divisions.
Source: World Taekwondo
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