South Korea, 18 Sep 2026 – Vietnam celebrated their first gold medal at the 2026 World Taekwondo Poomsae Championships in Chuncheon, South Korea, after Nguyen Thien Phung and Nguyen Thi Le Kim produced an impressive performance to win the mixed-pair recognized poomsae event.
The Vietnamese duo entered the competition on the afternoon of September 18 carrying hopes of adding to the national team’s medal tally after a promising opening three days at the world championships.
The mixed-pair recognized poomsae event places significant demands on both athletes, with technical execution, accuracy, balance and synchronization all playing important roles in the final result.
Thien Phung and Le Kim responded to the challenge with a composed and highly coordinated performance.
Throughout their routine, the Vietnamese athletes maintained a consistent tempo and demonstrated excellent understanding of each other’s movements. Their synchronization was particularly impressive, with both competitors executing techniques in unison while maintaining control and stability.
Their sharp movements, firm stances and precise coordination helped the pair stand out against their rivals. The quality of their performance ultimately earned them the highest position on the podium and delivered Vietnam’s first gold medal of the 2026 championships.
The result was an important achievement for the Vietnamese taekwondo team as it continued to demonstrate its strength in poomsae competition on the international stage.
With Thien Phung and Le Kim’s victory, Vietnam increased their medal haul after three days of competition to one gold, one silver and two bronze medals.
Before the mixed-pair success, experienced Vietnamese athlete Chau Tuyet Van had contributed a silver medal in the women’s U40 individual recognized poomsae event.
Vietnam also secured two bronze medals in team competition, finishing on the podium in both the men’s U50 team recognized poomsae and women’s U30 team recognized poomsae events.
The results mean Vietnamese athletes have now reached the podium across individual, mixed-pair and team categories during the tournament in Chuncheon.
The gold medal won by Thien Phung and Le Kim is the highlight of Vietnam’s campaign so far, with the pair converting a technically demanding performance into the country’s first world title of this year’s competition.
With four medals — one gold, one silver and two bronze — after three days, Vietnam have made an encouraging start to the 2026 World Taekwondo Poomsae Championships as the national team continues its campaign in South Korea.
VSN/RPT
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