After two decades of waiting, fighter Maria Clara Pacheco put Brazil back on top of the podium at the World Taekwondo Championship. This Friday (24), she won the gold medal in the 57 kilo category, defeating South Korean Yu-Jin Kim, Olympic champion in Paris 2024, in Wuxi (China) in the final. Brazil’s first world title in the sport was won by Natália Falavigna, in 2005. The competition runs until next Thursday (30), in Wuxi (China).
“It’s an emotion that I can’t explain, it’s the first time I’ve won such an important title and it was really the goal of the year. I’m very happy, I thank everyone who was in the crowd! And I send a special hug to my mother, my father, to dedicate this victory to my coach who is here and made everything possible and to thank CBTKD and Team Brasil for all the support they gave me during this year and in recent years to make this cycle the best possible”, said Maria Clara, aged 22, after scoring her second victory of the year over the defending champion – the first was at her opponent’s home, in the final of the Muju Grand Prix.
The year 2025 is being special for the world champion, who leads the 57kg ranking. There were two Grand Prix titles – the first in Charlotte (United States) and the second in Muju (South Korea) – in addition to the unprecedented gold for Brazil at the World University Games, in Essen (Germany).
“Maria is an athlete who, for some time now, has attracted our attention. We have been working together with the Confederation, investing in Maria in recent years. And, especially this year, she made an incredible leap in performance. It was a very good year, in which she won everything she competed for. I was able to be here and accompany her. I am following the Brazilian team, for the COB. And seeing her deliver the level of performance she achieved today, far above the others, is very rewarding”, celebrated former athlete Falavigna, current sports manager of the Brazilian Olympic Committee.
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Maria Clara’s campaign, top seed in the 57 kg competition, began in the second round with a victory over Portuguese Leonor Correia, 2-0, in two rounds (13×0 and 13×0). Then, in the round of 16, the São Paulo native from São Vicente fought a fierce battle against the Spanish Laura Rodriguez Maquina, European junior champion in 2024. The opponent took the first round 6×5, but Maria Clara recovered and won comeback, 2-1, winning the other two rounds (10×5 and 5×2). In the quarterfinals, the Brazilian overcame another strong opponent, the North American Faith Dilon, Pan-American champion, 2-0 (8×6 and 8×4). In the semifinals, it was in a rematch atmosphere: Maria Clara met the Chinese Luo Zongshi, who eliminated the Brazilian in the quarterfinals of Paris 2024. The São Paulo native gave her rival no chance: she won 2-0 (4×1 and 10×2) and advanced to the final against the South Korean Kim Yu-jin.
With this Friday’s title (24), Brazil reaches 24 World Cup medals, with two golds, eight silvers and 14 bronzes.
