Leonor Espinoza Carranza Wins First-Ever Paralympic Gold in Taekwondo

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Tokyo, 2 September 2021 — Paralympic history was made in the Tokyo 2020 Games today as the first-ever Paralympic gold medal in taekwondo, a sport making its debut at the Paralympic Games, was awarded to Leonor ESPINOZA CARRANZA (age 23) from Peru in the Women’s K44 -49kg event.

In 2015, the lnternational Paralympic Committee announced that badminton and taekwondo would be added to the Tokyo 2020 programme, making a total of 22 sports. The Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games are the biggest and most diverse in history, with 1,854 female athletes participating — the largest number ever, and a near 11 percent increase on the numbers competing at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. The gender balance in the two additional sports is almost half and half — 36 men and 36 women will compete in taekwondo and 46 men and 44 women in badminton.

Over the following two days, Paralympic taekwondo events will take place at Makuhari Messe in Chiba prefecture, adjoining Tokyo. There are two disciplines in Paralympic taekwondo: Kyorugi, for athletes with upper limb impairments, and Poomsae. for athletes with neurological or visual impairments. Only the Kyorugi discipline is featuring at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

Events are divided into four sport classes, from K41 to K44, with K41 being for athletes with the greatest degree of impairment. K44 and K43 are integrated as one sport class at Tokyo 2020 Games. Men and women each compete in three weight classes: -61 kg, -75kg and +75kg for men; -49kg, -58kg and +58kg for women. Head and trunk protection is worn in all bouts. Matches take place on the same octagonal court as Olympic competitions, over three two-minute rounds with one-minute rest intervals. Athletes are awarded between two and four points for valid attacks. If the scores are tied after three rounds, an extra round is held.

Events in the other new Paralympic sport—badminton—commenced on 1 September and will run until 5 September, the closing day of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. 14 events—seven men’s, six women’s and one mixed—are being held in Yoyogi National Stadium, one of the competition venues constructed for the Tokyo 1964 Games.

Badminton Para athletes are placed into one of six sport classes—two wheelchair classes and four standing classes— n order to ensure fairness. Wheelchair athletes are classified into WH1 (severe impairment) or WH2 (minor impairment); standing athletes with a lower-body impairment are placed in SL3 (severe) or SL4 (minor); those with an upper-body impairment are placed in category SU5, and those of short Stature in SH6.

At 1.55m, the height of the net is the same for all classes and the same as for Olympic badminton. Most rules are also similar, with all events using a “best of three games” format. with each game played up to 21 points. If scores reach 20-all. the side to first gain a 2-point lead wins. If the score stands at 29-all. the side scoring the 30th point wins the game. All wheelchair singles events and the SL3 class events use half of the court. Doubles use the entire court, excluding the section close to the net.

The Paralympic taekwondo and badminton international federations are the same federations as those associated with the Olympic Games. These events will feature in the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Tokyo will be leaving a valuable legacy as the sports will now be part of future Games. Moreover. the 2021 Para Badminton World Championships will be hosted in Tokyo this October. This will be a first time such a big international para badminton competition is being organised in Japan. It will further enhance the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic legacy, raising awareness and interest in the sport following the Games.

With only three days of the Games to go, we look forward to witnessing further amazing achievements in these newly-added Paralympic sports!

For more information: Tokyo 2020 Online Press Room

International Communications Email: mpc_pressoffice_en@tokyo2020.jp

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