Nusa Dua, Bali (ANTARA News) - Indonesia was able to be among the biggest ten in the 8th WTF world taekwondo poomsae championship ending here on Sunday collecting one gold, one silver and five bronze medals.

Aulia Ramadhan pairing with Kevita Rizkia contributed the gold medal for Indonesia in the freestyle event on the first day of the competition on Thursday.

The U-17 womens team meanwhile contributed the silver medal while the five bronze medals came from junior pair, U-49 senior female individual, U-29 male individual, U-29 male team and a mixed freestyle team events.

South Korea remained the strongest in the martial art sport and became the champion with seven gold and four bronze medals.

Vietnam, who would be Indonesias rival in the next Southeast Asian Games 2013 in Myanmar, was ranked second with three gold, three silver and five bronze medals.

Another rival of Indonesia in the next SEA Games, the Philippines was still stronger than Indonesia winning three gold, two silver and one bronze medals.

In the championship Iran collected two gold, four silver and five bronze medals while the US two gold, one silver and four bronze, Thailand two gold and four bronze, Spain two gold and two bronze, Canada one gold, two silver and one bronze and Germany one gold, two silver and one bronze medals.

The general chairman of the executive board of the Taekwondo Indonesia, Marciano, praised the countrys teams achievement saying "they have given good results by wining a gold medal through hard work."

Indonesias team manager Laras Sumarna said "one gold was enough to make us happy as this was the first world champion title that Indonesian athletes had won."

The Indonesian male U-29 team consisting of Muhammad Fitracahyanto, Maulana Haidir and Abdurrahman Wahyu contributed one more bronze medal on the final day of the event after finishing fourth.

Another bronze medal for Indonesia in the final day was contributed by Sofiudin, Maulana Haidir, Aulia Ramadhan, Kevita Rizkia and Mutiara Habiba in the mixed freestyle event, after they finished third.

Maulana Haidir, a senior athlete taking part in the mixed freestyle team event expressed his satisfaction that he was able to perform with strong confidence along with senior and junior members.

"We were confident although we just formed the mixed freestyle team for the event," gold medalist of the recent Islamic Solidarity Games in Palembang, Indonesia, said.

(H-YH/A014)

Editor: Jafar M Sidik
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