Other Sports

China makes breakthrough at taekwondo worlds

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-05-22 20:23

CHANGPING -- China failed on the goal of three gold medals in the World Taekwondo Championships here, but made breakthrough in some events, Chinese top official said on Tuesday.

Chen Zhong and Wu Jingyu won two gold medals while Athens Olympic champion Luo Wei finished with bronze for China.

"It's not the most impressive one, but still one of the best world championships for China," said Zhao Lei, general secretary of World Taekwondo Federation and vice president of State Boxing and Taekwondo Administatrion Center.

"China won none medals in the men's events, but Liu Xiaobo gave us something to cheer up to finish in the top eight," he added.

Liu defeated defending runner-up Ruben Montesinos of Spain to enter the quarter-finals before lost 10-4 to the eventual silver-medalist Morteza Rostami of Iran, winner in the 2003 championships.

Chinese male athletes entered the quarter-finals in three events, Liu Xiaobo in +84kg, Zuo Yi in 58kg and Zhu Guo in 78kg, which Zhao concluded as the best-ever for the men's counterpart.

In 1997, Liu Chuang won China's only men's medal in the bantam-weight category in the Hong Kong world championships.