The medals won at Paris 2024 may have settled a few arguments on the world stage, but there is unfinished business among Asia’s leading Para taekwondo fighters.
When the Asian Para Games begin in Aichi Nagoya, Japan, from October 18 to 24, several of the sport’s biggest names will be looking to build on their Paralympic success or settle scores from Hangzhou three years ago.
Uzbekistan’s Asadbek Toshtemirov and Mongolia’s Surenjav Ulambayar headline a strong field featuring South Korea’s Jeonghun Joo, Iran’s Mahdi Pourrahnama, Mongolia’s Ganbatyn Bolor-Erdene, Thailand’s Khwansuda Phuangkitcha, Uzbekistan’s Guljonoy Naimova and Nepal’s Palesha Goverdhan.Toshtemirov, Joo among leading contenders
Toshtemirov arrives as the reigning Paralympic champion, having won gold in the men’s K44 -80kg division at Paris 2024. The Uzbek had already claimed the 2023 World Championships title, but Paris established him among the sport’s elite.
South Korea’s Joo, meanwhile, has an Asian title to defend. He defeated Iran’s Alireza Bakht to win gold at Hangzhou and is a bronze medallist from both Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024.
Toshtemirov has since competed in the +80kg division, taking silver at the 2025 Asian Championships and the 2026 Rome Grand Prix, making the final weight-category entries particularly interesting.
Mongolia’s double threat
Mongolia will have two formidable contenders in Bolor-Erdene and Ulambayar. A former world champion, Bolor-Erdene captured the men’s K44 -63kg gold at Hangzhou before settling for silver at the Paris 2024 Paralympics.
Ulambayar has a Hangzhou disappointment to put behind her. She lost the women’s K44 -52kg final to China’s Shao Qian but returned stronger at Paris 2024 to claim Paralympic gold. Having also won the 2023 Taiyuan Grand Prix, Ulambayar will now be chasing the one major Asian title missing from her collection.
Experienced campaigners eye more medals
Uzbekistan’s Naimova remains a major force in the women’s heavyweight division. The Tokyo Paralympic champion won gold at Hangzhou before taking silver behind Britain’s Amy Truesdale in Paris. She has continued her winning form, capturing the women’s K44 +65kg title at the 2026 Rome Grand Prix.
Iran’s Pourrahnama is another experienced fighter defending an Asian title. A Tokyo Paralympic medallist, he defeated China’s Chen Shihe 16-3 in the men’s K44 -70kg final at Hangzhou.
Thailand’s Khwansuda also remains firmly in medal contention. The Hangzhou champion followed that success with bronze at Paris 2024 and silver at the 2026 Rome Grand Prix in the women’s K44 -47kg category.
Goverdhan chases another historic medal
For Nepal’s Palesha Goverdhan, the journey from Hangzhou to Paris transformed her sporting career.
After winning bronze at the 2023 Asian Para Games, she made history in Paris by becoming Nepal’s first Olympic or Paralympic medallist. Her 15-8 victory over Serbia’s Marija Micev in the women’s K44 -57kg bronze-medal contest sparked celebrations back home. She added another bronze at the 2025 Asian Para Taekwondo Championships in Malaysia, losing to Paralympic champion Li Yujie of China in the semi-finals.
Goverdhan will now be looking to improve on her Hangzhou bronze, although the competition promises to be fierce.
