The calendar year 2025 has been a watershed for Indian taekwondo. After years of sporadic international success, Indian athletes posted consistent podium finishes across a string of World Taekwondo (WT) ranking events ranging from G1 to G3 competitions and signalled that the country has moved from being a regional participant to an emerging contender on the global stage.
Beyond individual medals, 2025 revealed a deeper structural shift: broader geographic talent emergence, targeted tournament selection that maximised ranking returns, and the rise of both kyorugi (sparring) and poomsae (forms) as medal-producing disciplines. This deep dive examines the season’s key results, profiles the athletes to watch, and outlines the strategic implications for India’s push toward LA 2028.
2025 by the numbers: where the medals came from
Indian podiums in 2025 clustered at four internationally ranked events: the CJ Vietnam Open (G1), the Australian Open (G2), the WT President’s Cup Oceania (G3) and the 13th Elite Cup in Amman. The combined effect of successes at these events was twofold: immediate medal returns and valuable world-ranking points particularly from the G2 Australian Open and the G3 President’s Cup, which carry heavier WT-ranking weights than G1 competitions.
Highlights:
CJ Vietnam Open (G1, Ho Chi Minh City): Shivansh Tyagi claimed gold in Men’s U-80 kg; Kashish Malik (Women’s U-57 kg) and Aman Kadyan (Men’s U-58 kg) won bronzes, helping India finish third in the national team standings behind Vietnam and Korea.
Australian swing (G2/G3, Gold Coast): Nitesh Singh secured a G2 gold in Men’s 63 kg at the Australian Open; Shivansh Tyagi, Margerette Maria Regi and Rodali Barua collected bronze medals across Kyorugi divisions at both the Australian Open and the WT President’s Cup – Oceania. Rupa Bayor claimed bronze in the recognised individual poomsae discipline at the Australian Open.
13th Elite Cup (Amman): Danish Manzoor registered his first international medal (bronze), marking the arrival of medal-capable athletes from non-traditional taekwondo regions.
These results indicate both breadth and depth: multiple athletes produced international medals across weight classes and disciplines, rather than India depending on a single breakout star. (Source: compiled results and event reports).
Who stood out players to watch: Several athletes emerged in 2025 as bona fide international prospects:
Shivansh Tyagi (Men’s −80 kg)
Tyagi was arguably India’s most consistent performer in 2025. A G1 gold in Vietnam and repeat podiums in Australia at both G2 and G3 events demonstrate his ability to perform across tournament tiers. His competitiveness in an Olympic-weight class, coupled with an ability to manage an external professional career, highlights mental resilience and adaptability traits that make him a high-priority candidate for targeted investment heading into higher-G events.
Nitesh Singh (Men’s −63 kg)
Nitesh’s G2 gold at the Australian Open is strategically significant: G2 victories yield more ranking points and accelerate an athlete’s rise in WT standings. His tactical discipline and rapid ascent mark him as a priority for exposure to G4+ events and the Asian qualification circuits.
Margerette Maria Regi & Rodali Barua (Women’s −73 kg / +73 kg)
Both heavyweights translated domestic promise into consistent international podium finishes at the Australian stop. Their double-bronze outcomes indicate depth in India’s female heavyweight corridor historically a weak area and provide a foundation for Olympic-cycle planning.
Rupa Bayor (Poomsae)
Poomsae has become a compelling parallel pathway for India. Bayor’s G2 bronze affirms India’s technical strengths in forms competition and offers a lower-contact, highly technical medal route that international sponsors and federations find attractive.
Danish Manzoor (Emerging talent)
From Jammu & Kashmir, Manzoor’s bronze at the Elite Cup highlights the expanding geographic footprint of Indian taekwondo talent and the efficacy of decentralised coaching networks.
Kashish Malik (Resurgent return)
Malik’s 2025 bronze her first major podium after serving a two-year suspension is both a personal comeback story and a reminder of the need for robust anti-doping education and governance. Her return to form in an Olympic weight category makes her an important athlete for future international campaigns.
Strategic lessons from 2025
Tournament selection worked. Competing in Oceania (G2/G3) in August was a shrewd decision: the Oceania swing offered high-ranking opportunities against slightly less saturated fields than the East Asian circuit, thereby maximising point accrual ahead of more competitive G4+ events.
Decentralised pipelines are delivering. A dense cluster of medalists from Assam (Kaliabor) and a podium from Jammu & Kashmir reveal that regional academies and local coaching systems are producing elite athletes, reducing overdependence on a single centre.
Poomsae is a strategic asset. Rupa Bayor’s G2 success points to a technical discipline where India can punch above its weight. Poomsae is also attractive for sponsors and audiences because it combines athleticism with artistic presentation.
Ranking relevance and Olympic pathway. WT’s G-ranking system directly shapes Olympic prospects. G2 and G3 medals in 2025 elevated athletes’ point totals materially, but moving into G4–G8 events will be essential to secure favourable seedings and direct qualification channels.
Institutional friction: the governance gap
The 2025 competitive surge has occurred against the backdrop of an unresolved governance issue at the national level: uncertainty about the Taekwondo Federation of India’s (TFI) WT-recognised status. That administrative ambiguity carries real operational risks: impeded access to certain government funds, uncertainty in official team representation, and limits on hosting higher G-rank events that can amplify ranking points on home soil. These structural weaknesses must be addressed urgently if the 2025 competitive moment is to be converted into sustained Olympic-cycle success.
Anti-doping and athlete welfare
Kashish Malik’s comeback is laudable, but her suspension underscores the need for comprehensive anti-doping education, reliable supplement guidance, and proactive testing regimes across all academies. As Indian taekwondo’s profile rises, investment in athlete welfare injury management, sports sciences, nutrition and mental conditioning becomes non-negotiable.
Roadmap to LA 2028 priorities
Push into G4+ events. Fast-track top performers (Tyagi, Nitesh, Barua, Regi, Bayor) into G4/G6/G8 competitions through targeted funding to gain seeding advantage and direct qualification avenues.
Formalise decentralised hubs. Convert successful regional clusters into SAI-affiliated feeder NCOEs to secure technical support, sports science and funding continuity.
Resolve governance. A WT-compliant, democratically elected national body is essential to legitimise selection processes, unlock grants and bid for higher-grade events on home soil.
Scale anti-doping & athlete welfare. Implement mandatory education, centralized supplement vetting, and a national injury-management protocol.
The results of 2025 are not a fluke. They reflect methodical tournament targeting, a maturing talent pipeline, and the emergence of multiple medal corridors kyorugi heavyweights, featherweights, and poomsae specialists. If the federation vacuum is filled, funding is targeted toward G4+ exposure, and athlete welfare systems are strengthened, India has the core components necessary to transform 2025’s momentum into sustained Olympic contention by LA 2028. The next three years must convert regional promise into global podium regularity and the athletes who rose in 2025 have already provided the blueprint.
(Sources: event reports and compiled results from the CJ Vietnam Open, Australian Open, WT President’s Cup – Oceania, 13th Elite Cup and regional championships.)
