WUXI, Oct. 25 (Xinhua) -- China's Fu Xiaolu secured a bronze in the women's 49kg category at the 2025 World Taekwondo Championships on Saturday, while Chinese Taipei and Tunisia each claimed a gold in the day's events.

Fu, this year's National Games champion, showcased her resilience in the semifinals against Turkiye's Elif Sude Akgul. After losing the first round, she bounced back in the second round with a decisive high kick to the head. In the final round, Fu initially scored but was ultimately overtaken by Akgul's high kick, losing 2-1.

Akgul had to settle for a silver medal falling 2-1 to Liu You-yun of Chinese Taipei in the final, while the other bronze went to Kazakhstan's Nodira Akhmedova.

"I would give myself 60 points," Fu said. "Competing at home was motivating. The cheers from the crowd gave me extra strength."

Fu added that facing strong opponents was a valuable experience. "These athletes are more aggressive, while Chinese athletes focus on technique and control. I still need to work on my composure, especially when trailing."

In the men's 63kg category, world champion Liang Yushuai was eliminated in a controversial quarterfinal. After losing the first round 1-13, Liang bounced back in the second with a high kick to level the match 14-12. In the deciding round, his Jordanian opponent Mahmoud Altaryreh fell during close combat, and referees ruled that Liang had committed a head punch foul, resulting in a loss.

"I knew I might lose, but I never expected my World Championships run to end like this," Liang said. "I was confident of securing the third round, but the situation shifted when my opponent exploited the rules to their advantage. I deeply regret the final outcome."

In the men's 63kg final, Iran's Mahdi Hajimousaei was forced to withdraw after a collision, handing the gold medal to Tunisia's Mohamed Khalil Jendoubi.

"I'm so happy and proud of myself," said Jendoubi. "It was my dream from 2022 to become a world champion, and now I am."

The championships continue on Sunday with the men's 54kg and 87kg events, as well as the women's 73kg category.  ■