The sport featured at the Games, which took place at the Stoke Mandeville Stadium in Buckinghamshire, birthplace of the Paralympic Movement, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) and IWAS in March.

As well as staging demonstration competitions, open training sessions were held where the public were given the opportunity to to try discipline, which it is claimed is already practised in more than 50 countries worldwide.

WTF President Chungwon Choue claimed the sport's appearance at the IWAS event will help boost youth engagement and said he hoped to see it on the Games programme in the future.

Chungwon Choue said the appearance of Para-taekwondo at events like the IWAS World Junior Games helps youth participation ©WTF


"It has been a privilege for Para-taekwondo to be a part of this year's IWAS World Junior Games," he said.

"Events like these are hugely important as they encourage youth participation and provide young people with a pathway into sport.

"Young people with impairments may not always feel that they have the same opportunities to engage in sport, but by participating in inspirational events like this, we want to show them that taekwondo is a fun and safe sport which is truly accessible to everyone.

"We are very grateful to be working so closely with IWAS and to be given the chance to learn from their expertise on how to best serve athletes - both young and old - with impairments.

"We share many of the same values and want to use sport to encourage acceptance, respect and friendship.

"We hope this will be the beginning of Para-taekwondo's participation in IWAS events and that one day Para-taekwondo athletes may compete in the IWAS World Games."

The WTF submitted its final application for inclusion at the Tokyo 2020 Games to the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) last month, along with badminton.

The IPC Governing Board is due to vote on the sports to be included in the Tokyo 2020 programme in Berlin in October.

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