Skip to main content
12221
Go to International Paralympic Committee homepage Official website of the Paralympic Movement
Contrast:
High Contrast
Normal Contrast
Enlargement:
Larger Font Size
Default Font Size
Smaller Font Size
    • Home
    • Paralympic Games
    • Events & Competitions
    • The IPC
    • Results, Rankings & Records
    • Media centre
    • Sports
    • Classification
    • Videos
    • Athletes
    • Fan Zone
    • NPCs
    • Agitos Foundation
    • Partnerships
    • Newsletter
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Youtube
    • Instagram

    Media Centre

    • News
    • Blogs
    • Newsletter
    • Magazine
    • Athlete of Month
    • Media Office
    • Ones to Watch
    • Campaigns
    • Top 10 Moments

    Victory puts Yujie Li on top

    20.06.2019

    Pan Am Open success puts Chinese fighter in strong position

    four female taekowondo fighters on the podium with Yujie Li on the top step Yujie Li (second left) was crowned world champion in the women's under 58kg K44 at Antalya 2019 © • Turkey Taekwondo Federation
    By Lee Reaney | For the IPC
    Listen to this page using ReadSpeaker

    This time last year, China did not have a single Para taekwondo fighter ranked in the top 20. After the Pan Am Open Championships in Portland, USA, they are now poised to qualify two.

    None was more impressive than young Yujie Li – China’s first world champion. After shocking the division by winning that title in her first international competition, Li rolled over the competition in Portland on 16 June to prove her world title was no fluke.

    She demolished her competition by a combined score of 67 to 16, while knocking off the division’s No. 3, 4, and 9-ranked fighters in the women’s up to 58 kg K44 to claim her second straight tournament.

    The win should see her move to No. 6 in the division, within striking distance of the top four ranking needed to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.

    With Denmark’s undefeated No. 1 Lisa Gjessing still out with injury, the division now has two undefeated superstars. Li fights at next week’s Oceania Open beginning 28 June, while Gjessing is hoping to be back in time for October’s European Championships.

    Medell’s revenge

    With many of the men’s over 75 kg K44 division’s fighters sitting this tournament out, the pressure was on Croatia’s No. 1 Ivan Mikulic and the USA’s No. 2 Evan Medell to perform.

    The home favourite did not disappoint, confidently knocking off the No. 1 seed 27-10 in the final. It was a bit of retribution for Medell, who fell to Mikulic in the Pan Am final last year, allowing the Croatian to move into the division’s top seed.

    France’s Bopha Kong keeps on ticking in the men’s up to 61 kg K43, as he won his 11th straight tournament. Other champions include Brazilian world champion Debora Menezes, Ukrainian world champion Vika Marchuk, and Turkey’s No. 3 Meryem Betul Cavdar.

    European surprises

    Serbia’s Nikola Spajic captured his first international title in Portland, getting by Costa Rica’s Andres Molina 29-21 in the final.

    Spain’s Aythami Santana Santana showed he has eyes set on Tokyo 2020 by winning the men’s under 61 kg K44. The No. 4-ranked Spaniard knocked off some of the division’s top fighters, including Turkey’s Ali Can Ozcan and Italy’s Antonino Bossolo.

    Top fighters Down Under

    As the chase for ranking points continues, many of the sport’s top fighters are headed to Gold Coast, Australia, beginning 28 June for the Oceania Open Championships.

    Pan Am champions Santana, Medell, and Menezes will all be Down Under looking to defend their titles. Santana will have to get by some of the division’s best fighters, while Medell will need to upend British world champion Matt Bush. Menezes needs to top hometown favourite Janine Watson.

    The women’s under 58 kg K44 boasts perhaps the most intriguing lineup. While Gjessing is still out, three of the division’s top four seeds will try have to find a way past Li.

    Also in the mix is Egypt’s 15-year-old phenom Salma Ali Abd Al Moneem Hassan, who will be looking to better her silver medal at this year’s African Championships – her first international tournament.

    Related News
    Debora Menezes maintains momentum
    Mexico mission for Para taekwondo fighters
    Home happiness at Mexico Para Taekwondo Open
    Pan American Open attracts strong field
    • Tweet
      • print
      • send
    LATEST NEWS
    Nadezhda Fedorova suspended for anti-doping violation 05.08.2019 Nadezhda Fedorova suspended for anti-doping violation
    Nottwil 2019: USA top table as Junior Worlds conclude 05.08.2019 Nottwil 2019: USA top table as Junior Worlds conclude
    Nottwil 2019: Breathless third day 04.08.2019 Nottwil 2019: Breathless third day
    Nottwil 2019: Noah Malone makes his way 03.08.2019 Nottwil 2019: Noah Malone makes his way
    Vote for July’s Athlete of the Month 02.08.2019 Vote for July’s Athlete of the Month
    More news...following the link
    Worldwide Paralympic Partners
    Go to Atos partner page
    Go to Bridgestone partner page
    Go to OttoBock partner page
    Go to Panasonic partner page
    Go to Samsung partner page
    Go to Toyota partner page
    Go to Visa partner page
    International Partners
    Go to Allianz partner page
    Go to BP partner page
    Go to Citi partner page
    • FAQ
    • Privacy
    • Imprint
    • Jobs
    Powered by Go to Atos. Worldwide IPC partner page
    The Paralympic Games
    Summer Games
    Winter Games
    Sochi 2014
    Rio 2016
    All the results & medallist since 1960
    Games video archive
    About the IPC
    Who we are
    Anti-Doping
    Medical
    Partners
    IPC Strategic Plan 2015-2018
    IPC Handbook
    Publications and Documents
    Media Centre
    News
    Features & Interviews
    The Paralympian
    Videos
    Athlete of the Month
    Media Office
    Sports
    Summer Sports
    Winter Sports
    Biographies
    NPCS
    Africa
    America
    Asia
    Europe
    Oceania
    Go to International Paralympic Committee homepage
    Official Website of the Paralympic Movement • IPC
    Homepage
    Paralympic Games
    The IPC
    Results, Ranking & Records
    Media Centre
    Videos
    Sports
    International Paralympic Committee (IPC)
    Adenauerallee 212-214, 53113 Bonn, Germany
    Telephone: +49-228-2097-200 • Fax: +49-228-2097-209 • E-mail: [email protected]
    22:58:00