Not-so-brave new world: virtual taekwondo makes Asian Games debut

Taekwondo, a martial art with origins spanning over 2,000 years, made its debut in a novel form at the Asian Games on Friday: virtual taekwondo. The event, held at a gymnasium near the main Games host city of Nagoya, attracted a modest audience of spectators. Taekwondo officials marketed the new sport as a fusion of traditional martial arts and advanced virtual technology.

Competitors engaged in the virtual bout wearing VR headsets and motion tracking gear that mirrored their real-world movements to control their digital avatars. Connected nodes on their backs, thighs, and shins recorded each physical action. Matches were structured with three rounds, lasting 60 seconds each, and played within separate play areas a few meters apart. The objective was to strike the opponent's virtual body and head with real-life kicks, depleting their in-game health bar.

Singaporean athlete Darren Yap earned bronze in the virtual taekwondo category, adding to his traditional taekwondo bronze medal. Yap expressed his surprise at the experience, stating that he had "zero expectations." He described the VR setup as "quite nice to wear" and highlighted the fun aspect of sparring without physical contact.

The World Taekwondo governing body endorsed virtual taekwondo as equally demanding as its real-world counterpart but safer. However, critics argue that it is merely another form of gaming. The inaugural world championships took place in Singapore in 2024, but the sport made its first appearance at the Asian Games.

One notable difference from conventional taekwondo is the mixed category, where men and women compete together without weight classes. This inclusive approach aims to broaden participation in the sport. Yap, 22, noted that it is interesting to see women outperforming men in virtual taekwondo. Singapore has been a pioneer in introducing virtual taekwondo, hosting the inaugural Olympic Esports Week in 2023.

Chau Ngoc Tuyet Sang, a silver medallist in real taekwondo and virtual taekwondo competitor, had mixed feelings about the elimination of gender and weight divisions. She acknowledged the advantage of equal competition but pointed out that the difference in physical strength between men and women could impact the speed and execution of certain moves.