Bringing honor and pride to Sri Lanka, national champion Suranjan Dunusinghe has etched his name in the annals of the sport by winning a gold medal at the 16th World Taek Kyeon Championships held in Chungju, South Korea.
Taek Kyeon is a traditional Korean martial art. It has provided historical references for modern Korean martial arts and is often considered the oldest martial discipline of Korea. It influenced the name and conceptualization of Taekwondo. Taekkyon bouts have evolved into a modern sport, and tournaments are held by the few modern schools across Korea, and it is also an authorized discipline in the Korea National Championships.
This year’s World Taek Kyeon Championships tournament took place from October 24 to 26 at Chungju Tangeum Park in South Korea.
The event attracted athletes from 26 countries and featured 16 weight categories, with all competitions conducted in a knockout format.
Competing in the fiercely contested under-71 kg weight category, Dunusinghe triumphed over his opponent from Uzbekistan in the final bout to secure the top podium finish—a historic milestone for Sri Lankan Taek Kyeon.
Dunusinghe who had his education at Bandaranayake Central College Veyangoda is currently attached to the Ministry of Sports as a Coach.