It was in Wuxi, China, that the young Belgian taekwondo practitioner (or rather, “taekwondoist,” according to the official term used for this martial art of Korean origin) shone during her top-level fights in the under-73 kg category.
Receiving a bye in the first round, the Charleroi native, barely 20 years old, first defeated Egyptian Malak Samy El-Hosseiny (2-0, 8-0) and Polish Julia Nowak (5-2, 5-3) to qualify for the quarterfinals. She eliminated France’s Althéa Laurin, the Olympic champion in the over-67 kg category (4-3, 8-9, 6-3). Then, in the semi-final, she defeated China’s Zhou Zeqi (0-0, 7-6).
In the final, Sarah Chaâri prevailed in three sets against Ivory Coast’s Kimi Laurène Ossin, 3-2, 8-12, 5-3.
The Belgian thus secured her second world title, after her victory in 2022 in the -62 kg category.
The Charleroi native, born in Namur, also boasts gold medals from the European Games (in 2023 in the under-62 kg category) and the European Championships (in 2024 in the under-67 kg category), as well as a bronze medal from the Paris Olympic Games in the -67 kg category.
Source: Focus on Belgium
