The ITF Taekwon-Do World Championships 2025, held from 8–11 October in Poreč, Croatia, have drawn to a close — marking one of the most vibrant and inspiring editions in recent years. Over 1,450 athletes from 57 countries competed across four days of intense action, embodying the highest standards of skill, discipline, and unity that define the International Taekwon-Do Federation.
A Championship of Spirit and Skill
From the first day, the atmosphere in the Sports Hall Žatika was charged with energy and anticipation. The Championships featured all five traditional ITF disciplines — patterns, sparring, power breaking, special technique, and pre-arranged sparring — with competitors from every continent delivering world-class performances.
Among the many highlights were the adult pattern finals, the junior power and special technique events, and the pre-junior sparring divisions, each reflecting the dedication and precision that Taekwon-Do cultivates. The standard of competition reaffirmed why ITF Taekwon-Do continues to grow as both a martial art and a sport with deep moral and cultural roots.
Beyond the Competition
The week in Poreč also offered opportunities for reflection, development, and community-building.
- The Workshop on Courtesy and Communication in Social Media, led by Master Gauthier, encouraged open discussion on maintaining ITF values in digital interactions, addressing responsible communication, constructive engagement, and safeguarding the ITF’s public image.
- The Women’s Meet & Greet fostered dialogue and empowerment among female practitioners, promoting inclusion and leadership in Taekwon-Do.
- The ITF General Assembly 2025 brought together a record number of delegates for open discussions on federation governance, transparency, and shared progress.
- And the spectacular World Record Event added a historic milestone: Michelle Wendykier (Poland) set a new female world record at 254 cm, and Andrei Chiriac (Romania) achieved an extraordinary 291 cm in the men’s division.
Opening Ceremony and Hall of Fame
The Championships began with a memorable Opening Ceremony, featuring the parade of 57 national delegations and the official oaths by the athletes, coaches, and umpires — Ema Slavica (Athlete, Croatia), Master Brandi Merritt (Coach, Canada), and Jayasilen Sivapragasam (Umpire, Malaysia) — symbolizing the integrity and spirit of Taekwon-Do.
Distinguished guests including Master Slavko Jereb (Chair of the Organizing Committee), Master Anto Nobila (President of the Croatian Taekwon-Do Federation), and ITF President GM Paul Weiler delivered inspiring speeches that set the tone for the event.
The evening also saw the induction of seven new members into the ITF Hall of Fame, recognizing their outstanding contributions to Taekwon-Do:
Lyndsey Conway (Competitor, Ireland), Ryan O’Neil (Competitor, Canada), Master Vegard Iversen (Coach, Norway), GM Alexander Dunbar (Umpire, Scotland), Cosmin Oprescu (Country, Romania) representing his country, and GM Paul Weiler (Official, Germany) for his efforts in developing Taekwon-Do in Africa.
Competition Highlights & Results
The 2025 ITF Taekwon-Do World Championships in Poreč delivered four unforgettable days of competition, bringing together 57 nations and over 1,450 athletes across three age divisions. The level of performance and sportsmanship reaffirmed the ITF’s values of excellence, respect, and unity in diversity.
Adult Division
In the senior category, Ireland led the standings with 5 gold, 3 silver, and 4 bronze medals, demonstrating outstanding consistency across disciplines. Romania followed closely with 4 gold, 4 silver, and 2 bronze, while Norway placed third with 4 gold, 3 silver, and 8 bronze — the highest total medal count of all nations.
Strong challenges came from New Zealand and Slovenia, each earning four golds, while Argentina, Poland, and Italy also featured prominently among the medal winners. The broad spread of results highlighted the exceptional depth of Taekwon-Do talent around the world.
See the full results and details on sportdata.org.
Junior Division
The Junior World Championships saw Poland rise to the top with 5 gold, 2 silver, and 9 bronze medals, followed by Ireland (4 gold, 3 silver, 7 bronze) and Argentina (4 gold, 3 silver, 5 bronze).
Romania and Ukraine also delivered strong performances with multiple podium finishes, while Norway, Sweden, and Bosnia and Herzegovina impressed in individual and team events. The distribution of medals across 29 nations underscored the growing global strength of the next generation of Taekwon-Do practitioners.
See the full results and details on sportdata.org.
Pre-Junior Division
The youngest competitors brought enthusiasm and promise to the mats. Ukraine led the way with 4 gold, 6 silver, and 5 bronze medals, ahead of England (3 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze) and Poland (3 gold, 2 silver, 8 bronze).
Argentina, Romania, and Italy also featured among the top nations, with additional golds for Uzbekistan and the Netherlands. This division showcased the future of Taekwon-Do — energetic, skilled, and full of potential.
See the full results and details on sportdata.org.
Overall Reflections
Across all divisions, the diversity of medal-winning nations once again underlined Taekwon-Do’s truly global character. Europe maintained a strong presence, while competitors from the Americas and Asia achieved remarkable success. The Championships in Poreč will be remembered not only for record-breaking performances but for the camaraderie, sportsmanship, and unity that define the ITF family.
The overall winner countries of this World Championships are Argentina (10 gold, 7 silver, 21 bronze medals), Ireland (10 gold, 7 silver, 14bronze medals), and Romania (9 gold, 10 silver, 8 bronze medals).
Connecting the World: Social Media and Live Coverage
The 2025 World Championships also reached a record audience online. Through the ITF’s official Instagram channel @itftaekwondofederation, followers around the world experienced the event in real time — with daily highlights, behind-the-scenes impressions, and athlete interviews bringing the spirit of Poreč to a global audience.
Collaborations with media partners such as @tkdtekkers, @tkdlive_pl, and others helped share dynamic coverage and instant updates in more than 150 videos from the competition floor, reaching tens of thousands of practitioners and fans worldwide.
For those unable to attend in person, the official ITF YouTube livestreams offered full coverage of all four competition days — allowing viewers to follow every pattern, sparring match, and special technique event live from home. These efforts continued the milestones set by the ITF in the last years to connect its global community and promotes the values of Taekwon-Do through digital storytelling.
Gratitude and Looking Ahead
The ITF extends its sincere gratitude to the Croatian Taekwon-Do Federation, the Organizing Committee, umpires, volunteers, and every participant who contributed to the success of these Championships.
As the ITF community looks ahead, the 2025 World Championships will be remembered not only for their athletic excellence but for their reaffirmation of the Taekwon-Do spirit — discipline, integrity, and respect.
The next World Championships will take place in Asuncion, Paraguay, in 2027. In the year 2026 another World Cup – in contrast to the natonal team event World Championships, the World Cup is a club event – will take place from September 28 to October 4, 2026, in Benidorm, Spain.
New Heights in Taekwon-Do: World Record Event
