The protégé of Alexander Shlychkov, the founder and director of the “Strength of Spirit” Charitable Foundation, President of the Russian Federation of Practical Athletic All‑Around, Honoured Coach of Russia, and Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences, and the highly decorated para‑taekwondo athlete Aliakhab Ramazanov, achieved a brilliant victory at one of the key competitions of the world season.
At the international rating tournament of the World Taekwondo Grand Prix series, which was held in the South Korean city of Muju, our athlete, who competes simultaneously for the Republic of Dagestan and the Voronezh Region, won gold in the over 80 kg weight category.
It is worth noting that the competitions in Muju brought together the cream of the global para‑taekwondo community — the participants included current Paralympic champions, Olympic medalists, and winners of continental championships. Under such conditions, Aliakbar Ramazanov’s victory takes on particular significance, as, according to the rules, only the 12 strongest athletes in the world rankings are eligible to participate in the Grand Prix.
The path to the gold pedestal was truly challenging. In the semifinals, Aliakhab faced a serious test: he was up against Asadbek Toshtemirov, the Paralympic champion from Paris‑2024 in the under‑80 kg weight category, from Uzbekistan. The fight lasted the maximum three rounds — Ramazanov lost in the first round, but in the next two he showed character and secured the victory.
In the final, Aliaskhab’s opponent once again was the Briton Matt Bush, who had previously denied our athlete a silver medal at the 2024 Games in Paris. However, this time Ramazanov took his revenge. In the two rounds of the final fight, the opponents demonstrated an equal struggle (4:4 and 16:16), but in both cases the judges gave the advantage to the Russian athlete. The result was a confident victory and gold at a prestigious international tournament.
The athlete’s coach, Alexander Shlychkov, highly praised his protégé’s performance. However, he emphasized that the athlete cannot rest on his laurels: ahead lies an important stage of preparation for the Paralympic Games in Los Angeles, which are just over 700 days away. As early as September 24, 2026, the athlete will compete in the international ranking tournament Brazil Open Para Taekwondo in Londrina, Brazil (category G2), where he will have to defend his position in the world rankings.
The victory in Muju is yet another confirmation of the high level of Russian para‑taekwondo athletes, whose potential and skill, with the support of coaches of such caliber as Alexander Shlychkov, make it possible to conquer the heights of world sports.
