World Taekwondo leaders highlight Tashkent junior championship preparations

A press conference for the Tashkent 2026 World Taekwondo Junior Championships takes place at the Museum of Olympic and Paralympic Glory in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Friday. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan — World Taekwondo President Choue Chung-won and Uzbekistan’s Minister of Sports Adkham Ikramov on Friday voiced confidence ahead of the Tashkent 2026 World Taekwondo Junior Championships, to be held April 12-17 in the Uzbek capital.

The press conference at the Museum of Olympic and Paralympic Glory brought together World Taekwondo Secretary General Seo Jeong-kang, Technical Delegate Philippe Bouedo, WT Taekwondo Association of Uzbekistan President Sherzod Tashmatov and members of the World Taekwondo Council. Uzbek athletes Omadbek Otabekov and Rushanakhon Ravshanova, who will compete in the men’s under-63 kilogram and women’s under-55 kilogram divisions, respectively, also spoke ahead of their events.

World Taekwondo President Choue Chung-won, second front left, and Uzbekistan’s Minister of Sports Adkham Ikramov, third from left, shake hands after the Tashkent 2026 World Taekwondo Junior Championships press conference at the Museum of Olympic and Paralympic Glory in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Friday. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

Choue called the championships a milestone, noting they mark the event’s 30th anniversary and the first time an international federation has staged a major competition in Tashkent’s new Olympic City. He pointed to Uzbekistan’s rapid progress in taekwondo and acknowledged the work of the national federation, the Ministry of Sports and local organizers in preparing for the event.

World Taekwondo Secretary General Seo Jeong-kang attends the Tashkent 2026 World Taekwondo Junior Championships press conference at the Museum of Olympic and Paralympic Glory in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Friday. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

Ikramov said preparations began two years ago and highlighted the significance of hosting nearly 1,000 athletes from 115 countries, along with coaches and media, at Olympic City for the first time. Before the briefing, he led Choue and other officials on a tour of the museum, which showcases Uzbekistan’s Olympic and Paralympic history and the new complex’s facilities.

Technical Delegate Philippe Bouedo speaks during the Tashkent 2026 World Taekwondo Junior Championships press conference at the Museum of Olympic and Paralympic Glory in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Friday. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

Bouedo, the technical chair, outlined rule changes approved at the 2025 World Taekwondo General Assembly in Wuxi, China, including increasing the points for a spinning head kick from 5 to 6 and removing video replay requests for head kicks — changes he said were aimed at making bouts more active. He added that the Tashkent venue meets high international standards and “looks of Olympic standard.”

An Uzbek journalist reports from the Tashkent 2026 World Taekwondo Junior Championships press conference at the Museum of Olympic and Paralympic Glory in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Friday. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk