2007 World Championships
Held in Beijing, China, this is the primary event leading up to the 2008 Olympics.
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Injuries fuel drive of taekwondo champion Bahri (Today's Zaman)
by Nurullah Kaya
“...Tanr1kulu is known for injuring himself at virtually every tournament that he has walked away with a medal from. In the 2001 World Championship he won a gold medal despite dislocating his shoulder, and in 2003, he damaged ligaments in his ankle...This long list of sustained injuries didn’t stop the unrelenting champion who bounced back from each injury more determined to make it to the top of the competitive taekwondo world...[he] brought home the only gold medal from the 2007 World Taekwondo Olympics.” (Originally Published: 6/5/2007; Last DCTKD update: 6/5/2007)
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Turkey’s Tanrukulu is world taekwondo champion (Today’s Zaman)
“Turkish martial artist Bahri Tanr1kulu won the gold medal in the 84-kg division at the ongoing World Taekwondo Championship in Beijing, China on Tuesday. Tanr1kulu overpowered Azerbaijan's Tavakgl Bayramov 4-0 in the finals after defeating North Korean Park Min-Soo 3-2 in the semifinals, thus becoming the world's number one.” (Originally Published: 5/23/2007; Last DCTKD update: 5/23/2007)
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Beijing setback for GB taekwondo (BBC)
“Britain’s taekwondo players are to take stock after failing to win a medal at the World Championships in China...Despite the team’s failings, [performance director Gary] Hall said there were still stand-out performances.” (Originally Published: 5/22/2007; Last DCTKD update: 5/26/2007)
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South Korea less dominant, golds disperse at taekwondo worlds (People’s Daily Online)
“South Korea is less dominant, while more countries and regions are capable of winning medals as the taekwondo worlds concluded in Beijing on Tuesday. South Korea maintained the leading position as the originator of taekwondo, but four gold medals are far less than seven they earned at the Madrid World Championships two years ago.” (Originally Published: 5/22/2007; Last DCTKD update: 5/23/2007)
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South Korean coach in hot water for insulting referees at taekwondo worlds (People’s Daily Online)
“The World Taekwondo Federation’s advisory board will meet to discuss punishment for a South Korean coach who went ballistic on referees at the World Championships, WTF vice president Gen. Ahmed Fouly said....[During a semifinals match and] Angered by the judge's decision, South Korean coach Wang Kwang Yim rushed on to the arena, yelled at the judges and made an obscene gesture to the spectators.” (Originally Published: 5/22/2007; Last DCTKD update: 5/22/2007)
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Taekwondo popularity boosts Chinese Taipei in worlds (People’s Daily Online)
“Ho Wei-Hsing, head coach of the Chinese Taipei team in the World Taekwondo Championships, said here Sunday that more and more people in Taiwan are learning taekwondo and that’s the reason for Chinese Taipei to become a taekwondo powerhouse in the world.” (Originally Published: 5/21/2007; Last DCTKD update: 5/22/2007)
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Iranian taekwondo official appeals to WTF’s reform (People’s Daily Online)
“Iran TKD Federation president S. M. Pouladgar called for a reform in World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) on Sunday after Iranian protests against judges turned down twice within two days at the Beijing taekwondo worlds. ‘TKD needs international thinking. Only one country make the rules. I think more people and more countries should be involved in making the rules in TKD,’ suggested Pouladgar on Sunday.” (Originally Published: 5/21/2007; Last DCTKD update: 5/21/2007)
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China Out to Dominate Taekwondo (Korea Times)
by Kang Seung-woo
“Concern is rising among Korean officials that China might try to assert taekwondo as its own homegrown sport...‘Unless we pay more attention to taekwondo, we will lose our own soul to China,’ white-haired Ko [Eui-min, chairman of the World Taekwondo Federation Technical Committee,] lamented.” (Originally Published: 5/20/2007; Last DCTKD update: 5/21/2007)
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Lopez rules taekwondo worlds again (Sports Illustrated)
“American Steven Lopez defeated Korean’s Jang Chang-Ha in sudden death Sunday to claim his fourth straight taekwondo welterweight world championship, extending his domination of a sport in which he also has two straight Olympic gold medals...Using a front kick to send the Korean to the mat, Lopez finished up his sixth victory of the day after the two were deadlocked at 0-0 at the end of regulation time.” (Originally Published: 5/20/2007; Last DCTKD update: 5/20/2007)
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France eyes at least 2 medals at taekwondo worlds (Xinhua Online)
“France set a target of capturing two medals at the Beijing World Taekwondo Championships, its team leader announced here on Saturday. ‘Two medals is the limit of our mission here. I think that’s the bottom line for us,’ said Aloisio Michael, team leader of France.” (Originally Published: 5/19/2007; Last DCTKD update: 5/20/2007)
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Cuban Abreu clinches men's featherweight title at taekwondo worlds (People's Daily Online)
“Gessler Viera Abreu of Cuba beat Iranian Omid Gholam Zadeh Asl 6-5 through extra time to clinch men’s under-67 kilograms (feather weight) title on Friday at the Beijing World Taekwondo Championships. It’s an all-square competition in the category with both semi-finals and the final concluded through extra-time contest.” (Originally Published: 5/19/2007; Last DCTKD update: 5/19/2007)
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Heartbreak for Yaowapa in the final (The Nation)
“Athens Olympics heroine Yaowapa Boorapolchai suffered a bitter loss in the final of the World Taekwondo Championships at the hands of her old rival Wu Jingyu on the opening day in Beijing, shattering Thailand's dream of winning their first-ever gold in the world meet.” (Originally Published: 5/19/2007; Last DCTKD update: 5/19/2007)
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China’s Wu wins first gold of taekwondo worlds (ChinaDaily.com)
“Wu Jingyu won the first gold medal, also the first for China, at the 18th Taekwondo World Championships after beating Thailand’s Yaowapa Boorapolchai 5-0 in the women’s 47kg here on Friday.” (Originally Published: 5/18/2007; Last DCTKD update: 5/19/2007)
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Lopez family ready to repeat glory at Beijing taekwondo worlds (People’s Daily Online)
“Lopez family from the United States is posed to defend its trio champions at the five-day Beijing World Taekwondo Championships which was declared open Thursday...A total of 1,679 athletes, coaches and officials from 122 countries and regions, have registered for the championships, seeing a new record high number of participants in the biennial events history.” (Originally Published: 5/18/2007; Last DCTKD update: 5/18/2007)
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Olympic champs herald China glory in taekwondo worlds (ChinaDaily.com)
“Chen Zhong, two-time Olympic champion of the women’s 67kg category, joined up with 2004 Athens Games’ champion Luo Wei to stamp the domination in the heavyweight categories, with their teammates coming out all the way for more medals for the hosting country.” (Originally Published: 5/18/2007; Last DCTKD update: 5/18/2007)
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Meloon washes her hands of USA Taekwondo (Houston Chronicle)
Two-time world medalist says female-friendly coach is needed
by David Barron
“‘I have major concerns (about USA Taekwondo),’ [former U.S. team member Mandy Meloon] said. ‘Things won’t be better unless Jean is removed and there’s a women’s coach and someone the girls can go to with their concerns.’” (Originally Published: 5/17/2007; Last DCTKD update: 6/18/2007)
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Meloon loses round in dispute (Houston Chronicle)
Arbitrator rules taekwondo star can’t join U.S. team
by David Barron
“An arbitrator has ruled against two-time world taekwondo medalist Mandy Meloon of Sugar Land in her effort to regain her spot on the U.S. team for the upcoming world championships in Beijing.” (Originally Published: 5/16/2007; Last DCTKD update: 5/17/2007)
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Coleman adjusts to new division (WCSN.com)
by Dave Ungrady
“Josh Coleman made a memorable debut with the U.S. taekwondo in 1999. Competing in his first world championships, he won a bronze medal in the welterweight division at the age of 19...Now eight years older and wiser, Coleman returns this week to the world championships for the first time 1999, this time as a heavyweight.” (Originally Published: 5/15/2007; Last DCTKD update: 5/21/2007)
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Taekwondo world championships aided by International SOS (People's Daily Online)
Mostly about International SOS, “the world‘s leading provider of medical assistance, international healthcare, security services and outsourced customer care.” Includes: “Athens 58kg gold medalist Chu Mu-Yen from Chinese Taipei, 68kg champion Hadi Bonehkohal of Iran and 80kg winner Steven Lopez of US are the biggest stars in the men’s field, while China’s Chen-and-Luo-inspired team is tipped to be the strongest medal contender in the women’s competition.” (Originally Published: 5/15/2007; Last DCTKD update: 5/15/2007)
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Miami resident competes for U.S. (MiamiHerald.com)
by Jim Varsallone
“[U.S. Team Member Antony] Graf is unconventional, yet has experienced remarkable success in the middle/heavyweight division, even though he is just 5-9. ‘Conventional wisdom used to state that the ideal taekwondo athlete was as tall and skinny as his or her weight class would allow,’ he said. ‘At some point, I decided I would rather be healthy and strong and make up for a lack of reach with superior technique and strategy. Do not follow where the path may lead. Instead, go where there is no path and leave a trail.’” (Originally Published: 5/11/2007; Last DCTKD update: 5/12/2007)
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