Shrijana Ghising, Australia’s newest Para Taekwondo hero has claimed a Silver Medal at the Turkish Open following a series of high-quality performances across multiple fights with some of the world’s best.
From the outset, Shrijana demonstrated composure and intent, building momentum through before facing a major test in the quarterfinals. Drawn against the host nation’s athlete, ranked 15th in the world, she stepped into a high-pressure environment backed by a vocal home crowd. In a tightly contested match, Shrijana showed resilience and tactical maturity, taking the bout to three rounds and holding her nerve to secure a hard-earned victory and a place in the semifinals.
Shrijana's (left) medal marks a new era for Australia's international performance in the para arena
Her semifinal performance marked a clear statement of confidence and growth. Up against a Georgian opponent ranked 8th globally, Shrijana delivered one of her most commanding displays of the tournament. Executing her game plan with precision, she controlled the contest from the outset, winning the first two rounds decisively to book her spot in the final.
The gold medal match saw Shrijana face another top-tier opponent in an Uzbekistan athlete ranked 13th in the world. In what proved to be a fitting finale, the contest was closely fought across all three rounds. With both athletes trading momentum, the result came down to the closing seconds of the final round, where Shrijana narrowly fell 2–4 in a match that could have gone either way.
While just short of gold, the Silver Medal represents a significant achievement and reflects Shrijana’s amazing skill set, as well as the development of the Australian Taekwondo Para Taekwondo Program. This is Australia’s first para kyorugi medal since Janine Watson in 2021 at an overseas competition.
Shrijana Ghising with the Australian Taekwondo Para Technical Lead, Jerry Moraitis
Congratulations to Shrijana on an outstanding result, with valuable experience and learnings taken from a strong campaign in Türkiye. Her ability to perform under pressure, compete with higher-ranked opponents, and deliver across multiple high-intensity matches highlights both her growth and her potential moving forward.
Mackenzie Macdonald has made history, claiming a silver medal in the women's 49kg division at the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal. This marks a major milestone for the sport in Australia, with Macdonald acquiring the first ever medal at the Youth Olympic Games for Australian Taekwondo.
Mackenzie Macdonald is set to debut at the Youth Olympic Games Tonight. Click here to view her full draw and live stream link.
Australia's Para Taekwondo coaching team recently gathered on the Gold Coast for a coach development and strategic planning weekend, bringing together coaches from across the program to sharpen their skills and map out the next phase of Para Taekwondo in Australia.
The weekend was made possible through a Para Coach Development Grant funded by the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS). The grant aims to deepen coaches' knowledge of the high performance para environment, helping to build coaching capability and grow Para Taekwondo across the country.
