[By NBC-1TV K, Y Yi] RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (Oct. 28, 2023) - The Riyadh 2023 World Combat Games today witnessed captivating Taekwondo action as the Mixed Gender Team Kyorugi categories got the three-day competition underway.    

The World Combat Games began on October 20 and will run through to October 30, bringing together some of the world’s best athletes from across 16 Olympic and non-Olympic combat sports. Taekwondo competitions will be running from October 28-30. 

The Mixed Gender Team Kyorugi categories saw teams from Australia, Korea, Mexico, Morocco, Türkiye, and Saudi Arabia battling to progress to the next round.  

After an intense opening day of competition Korea, Mexico, Morocco and Türkiye emerged victorious, securing their spots in the highly anticipated semi-finals scheduled for October 30. 

The excitement does not end here, as fans eagerly await the action-packed days ahead. Tomorrow, the spotlight will shift to the male and female individual and pairs Freestyle Poomsae over 17 events. As the competition intensifies, all eyes will soon be fixed on October 30, when the Taekwondo champions of the Mixed Gender Team Kyorugi and men’s and women’s individual Freestyle Poomsae will be crowned. 

The World Combat Games aims to encourage youth engagement in sport, while fostering unity within local martial arts and combat sport communities. It is the first time the Games has been hosted in the Middle East since it was founded by the Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF now known as SportAccord) as a way of showcasing combat sports to a global audience.