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

Kazakhstan's Rita Bakisheva faced India's Kashish Malik in the mixed individual virtual taekwondo competition at the Asian Games. The Korean martial art made its debut in a not-so-brave future, where participants engage in contactless sparring using advanced virtual technology. The event took place at a gymnasium near the main host city of Nagoya, with a small audience of spectators attending.

In virtual taekwondo, athletes wear VR headsets and motion tracking devices to control their in-game avatars. They wear nodes on their back, thighs, and shins to track their movements. Each round lasts 60 seconds, and matches consist of a best-of-three rounds. The objective is to score points by landing virtual kicks on the opponent's virtual body and head.

Darren Yap of Singapore won bronze, alongside another bronze in the traditional format. He described the experience as "fun" and noted that it allowed for sparring without the physical contact. World Taekwondo, the governing body, endorsed virtual taekwondo as "groundbreaking" due to its athletic demands and safety features. However, critics view it as a form of gaming.

The first virtual taekwondo world championships were held in Singapore in 2024, but the sport debuted at a larger stage during the Asian Games. Unlike traditional taekwondo, both men and women compete in a mixed category, with no weight classes. This change aims to increase participation and allows for matches between athletes of different strengths.

Singapore serves as the early home of the sport, which made its Olympic Esports Week debut in 2023. Silver medallist Chau Ngoc Tuyet Sang, who also competes in the traditional format, had mixed opinions on the gender and weight differences. She appreciated not having to worry about weight disparities but acknowledged that physical strength gaps between genders could impact the speed of movements.