The double world champion, following successes in 2012 and 2013, secured her hat-trick of titles with a resounding victory over Russia's Sevil Abdulova.

After a comfortable 21-1 victory over Lesotho's Masole Pitso in the opening K42 under 49 kilogramme contest, Marchuk stormed ahead of Russian favourite Abdulova in the final, cementing her position as the world's top athlete at the weight category, and one of Para-taekwondo's leading stars.

Following her victory, Marchuk, who has battled hard to make it to this stage of her sporting career after being left to an orphanage as a child and only discovered by coach Yuliya Volkova at the age of 22, expressed her delight at winning the title, adding that she hoped now to be given the chance to compete in the Paralympics at Tokyo 2020. 

"I want to help improve the status of Para-taekwondo and hope to compete at the Paralympic Games if the sport gets in," she said.

"I'm only thinking of Para-taekwondo and really hope it will make the Paralympic Games."

The World Championships, the second to be held in Russia, included a series of firsts for the World Taekwondo Federation WTF.

It was the first to be held separately from an able-bodied tournament, the first to be held over two days, the first to include a poomsae event and the first to incorporate the newly ratified classification system for Para-taekwondo athletes.

A record number of countries participated in the event, 37, 12 more than at last year's Championships in Lausanne, with 111 athletes registered to compete across the two-days.

Following the preliminary stages of the competition, and the first set of finals, an Opening Ceremony gave the athletes, officials and growing crowds a taste of Russian traditions with a spectacular display showcasing the best of both Para-taekwondo and Russia, in a frenzy of lasers, lights and live music.

During the ceremony, WTF President Chungwon Choue, who celebrated his 10th year at the helm of the WTF on June 11, expressed his delight at welcoming the participants to the Championships before emphasising the added importance of this event with the International Paralympic Committee's (IPC) decision on the Toyko 2020 Paralympic programme set to be made in October.

In its decision, the IPC will review all 22 sports currently included on the Paralympic programme, plus Para-taekwondo and Para-badminton, before determining the Paralympic programme for the Tokyo 2020 Games at their meeting in Berlin in October or in the first quarter of 2015 at the latest.

"Inclusion of Para-taekwondo in the phase two of the application process for Toyko 2020, by the decision of the IPC, is a great success and achievement for all taekwondo families who have been working tirelessly for promotion and the development of Para-taekwondo," he said.

"I hope that we will continue working hard to reach out to more people with different disabilities and impairments through taekwondo."

Canada's Lisa Standeven secured her fourth World Championship gold with victory over Great Britain's Amy Truesdale in the women's k44 under 58kg contest ©ITG



As well as Marchuk's victory, nine other athletes claimed gold medals in their respective categories, as well as two athletes in the first ever World Championship poomsae competitions.

Among the victors was Canadian veteran and three-time world champion Lisa Standeven, who secured victory over Great Britain's one and only participant at the Championships, Amy Truesdale, in the K44 under 58kg final.

It was the fourth consecutive World Championships the pair have battled for the gold medal with the Canadian proving victorious every time.

After securing her fourth World Championships gold, Standeven, who has won gold at every Championships since St Petersburg in 2010, said: "These athletes have the skill, the spirit and the drive deserving of a Paralympic podium.

"I am truly proud to be part of this Para-taekwondo community.

"[Truesdale] is always my toughest competitor.

"I have to think and have a good strategy each time, if I don't she will win."

Croatia's 16-year-old Luka Bakovic was another man to take gold at the Championships as he battled past Russia's Azamat Makiev in the men's open under 75kg category.

Colombia's Jhormary Rojas became the first ever female poomsae world champion with victory at the 5th WTF World Para-Taekwondo Championships in Moscow ©ITG



The first ever poomsae event, the individual form of taekwondo that sees participants perform a set sequence of movements to on-looking judges, was met by huge enthusiasm by the watching crowds.

The event, exclusively for athletes with an intellectual disability, saw Colombia's Jhormary Rojas walk out with gold in the women's event as her taebac and shipjin sequences impressed the judges.

On the men's side, Austria's Dominick Radoszfics performed two remarkable taegue performances to gain favour with the judges as he was crowned the first ever men's poomsae world Para-taekwondo champion.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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