Darren Yap wins poomsae joint-bronze for S’pore’s first taekwondo medal at Asian Games

NAGOYA – Darren Yap punched and kicked his way into the history books on Oct 1, when he won a joint-bronze in the men’s individual poomsae to become the first Singaporean taekwondo exponent to win a medal at the Asian Games.

At the Toyohashi City General Gymnasium, he scored 9.0400 points to finish behind Yun Kyu-sung (South Korea, 9.3800) Navin Pinthasute (Thailand, 9.2800) and Derick Yape (Philippines, 9.0900).

At these Games, poomsae athletes perform choreographed movements combining offensive and defensive techniques in multiple directions.

While the poomsae events featured a single-elimination tournament format at the previous edition in Hangzhou, China in 2023, this time they were divided into two semi-final rounds of eight athletes. They performed recognised and freestyle forms and were evaluated by a judging panel across accuracy, technical and presentation criteria. The top four from each semi-final then advanced to the final.

Earlier in the day, Yap tallied 8.8300 points to finish joint-second out of eight competitors in the first of two semi-final rounds to progress.

In the women’s individual poomsae, compatriot Nicole Khaw placed fifth in her semi-final with a score of 8.3900 and did not make the final.

In a sport dominated by the South Koreans since it became part of the Asian Games programme in 1986, the Republic has never made the podium before Yap’s achievement.

Previously, the 22-year-old made his major Games debut in 2022 when he was part of the men’s poomsae team who clinched bronze at the SEA Games.

He returned home empty-handed from the SEA Games and Asian Games in 2023 but rebounded to claim individual bronzes at the 2023 World Combat Games and 2025 SEA Games.

At the previous Asiad in China, he was the first Singaporean taekwondo exponent to compete at the Games since 2010.

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David Lee is senior sports correspondent at The Straits Times, focusing on aquatics, badminton, basketball, cue sports, football and table tennis.