Pakistan make golden start at World Taekwondo President’s Cup 2026
Sports Bulletin ReportLAHORE: Pakistan made a flying start to the World Taekwondo 8th President’s Cup (Asia Region) 2026, claiming three gold medals on the opening day of the prestigious championship at the Jinnah Sports Complex Lahore on Monday.The hosts delivered an impressive performance in the poomsae competitions, collecting three gold, three silver and nine bronze medals to establish themselves among the leading nations on the opening day. Korea secured two gold and one silver, while Iran won three silver and three bronze medals.The championship opened with a colourful and vibrant ceremony that showcased Pakistan’s rich cultural heritage alongside the traditions of taekwondo. Ali Mustafa Dar, Adviser to the Chief Minister Punjab on AI and Special Initiatives, attended as chief guest and formally inaugurated the event.Cultural performances representing Pakistan’s provinces and Azad Jammu and Kashmir added colour to the ceremony and received an enthusiastic response from athletes, officials, guests and spectators. The performances also provided international participants with an opportunity to experience Pakistan’s diverse cultural traditions.Talking to The Nation, Pakistan Taekwondo Federation (PTF) Chairman Col (R) Waseem Ahmad Janjua said: “Our three-gold opening-day haul reflects Pakistan’s growing strength in poomsae and gives us an encouraging start to the championship. Competing against leading international athletes is also providing our players valuable world-class exposure.”The PTF chairman added, “Hosting an event of this scale demonstrates Pakistan’s ability to stage major international competitions and further strengthens the country’s position on the global taekwondo calendar.”Col Waseem also thanked World Taekwondo, the Asian Taekwondo Union, Headquarters 4 Corps, the Punjab government and other stakeholders for their support in staging the championship. He expressed his gratitude to Treet Corporation, the title sponsors, along with other corporate partners and supporting organisations, for their valuable contribution and continued support in making the prestigious event a success.The G3 taekwondo event has brought together a large contingent of international athletes, coaches, referees, technical officials and administrators from across Asia and other regions. Teams from Afghanistan, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Chinese Taipei, Chile, Ecuador, Egypt, Great Britain, Hong Kong, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Saudi Arabia, Kyrgyzstan, Oman, Palestine, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Türkiye, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates and Uzbekistan, along with the World Taekwondo Refugee Team, are competing in Lahore.In addition, 28 Pakistani teams are taking part, underlining the scale and significance of the championship for the country's domestic taekwondo structure. According to the PTF, the event has attracted 869 athletes and officials, including 347 international athletes, 163 international officials, 263 Pakistani athletes and 96 Pakistani officials.The strong international participation has provided Pakistani athletes with a valuable opportunity to compete against high-level opponents on home soil and gain exposure to international standards of competition. The championship is being conducted under the technical supervision of World Taekwondo Technical Delegate Rajendran Muthusamy, with World Taekwondo-appointed technical officials and referees overseeing the competitions to ensure strict compliance with international rules and regulations.With the opening-day poomsae events setting the tone, attention now turns to the remaining competitions, where Pakistani athletes will look to build on their promising start and add further medals to the country's tally.
