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ROME, Italy (June 6, 2026) – The second day of the Roma 2026 World Taekwondo Grand Prix delivered a showcase of emerging talent, dramatic upsets, and thrilling championship matches as Türkiye’s Berkay Erer, Côte d’Ivoire’s Kimi Laurène Ossin, and Russia’s Rafail Aiukaev captured gold medals in their respective divisions.
Berkay Erer Continues Remarkable Rise
The Men’s -68kg division saw Türkiye’s Berkay Erer further establish himself as one of the sport’s brightest young stars. Entering the tournament as the 28th seed, Erer continued his sensational run of form by adding a World Taekwondo Grand Prix title to an already impressive list of achievements.
Fresh from winning gold at the European Taekwondo Championships in Munich and the Nairobi 2025 World Taekwondo Under-21 Championships, Erer displayed composure and determination throughout the competition.
In the gold medal match against Russia’s Amir Vykov, Erer controlled the contest with an 8-1 victory in the opening round before edging a highly competitive second round 8-7 to secure the title.
The tournament also witnessed history as Burkina Faso’s Ibrahim Maiga earned his nation’s first-ever World Taekwondo Grand Prix medal after an outstanding performance that included eliminating reigning World Champion Banlung Tubtimdang of Thailand.
Ossin Confirms World-Class Potential
In the Women’s +67kg division, Côte d’Ivoire’s Kimi Laurène Ossin delivered another breakthrough performance to claim the biggest title of her career.
After announcing herself on the world stage with a silver medal at the Wuxi 2025 World Taekwondo Championships, Ossin took another major step forward by capturing Grand Prix gold in Rome.
Facing China’s Wenzhe Mu in the final, Ossin dominated the opening round and maintained her composure despite a strong response from her opponent to secure a memorable victory.
The Ivorian star also defeated Türkiye’s Sude Yaren Uzunçavdar in the semi-finals. Uzunçavdar had earlier produced one of the day’s biggest upsets by eliminating reigning World Champion and 2025 Female Athlete of the Year Sarah Chaâri of Belgium.
With this victory, Ossin further strengthens her status as one of the most exciting athletes in international Taekwondo.
Aiukaev Denies Alessio in Dramatic Heavyweight Final
The Men’s +80kg final provided one of the most memorable moments of the tournament as Russia’s Rafail Aiukaev defeated Italy’s Simone Alessio in front of a passionate home crowd.
Alessio, a two-time World Champion and Paris 2024 Olympic bronze medallist, appeared in control after a dominant 18-8 opening-round victory.
However, Aiukaev responded impressively in the second round, capitalizing on a video replay review decision that awarded him the round and forced a decisive third round.
The final round delivered nonstop excitement as both athletes exchanged attacks until the closing seconds. Aiukaev ultimately emerged victorious with a 15-12 win, upgrading the silver medal he earned at the Wuxi 2025 World Taekwondo Championships to Grand Prix gold in Rome.
Earlier in the tournament, Aiukaev defeated Uzbekistan’s Marat Mavlonov, while Alessio advanced to the final after overcoming reigning World Champion Sang Hyun Kang of Korea.
Looking Ahead
Attention now turns to Day Three of the Roma 2026 World Taekwondo Grand Prix, where athletes will battle for medals in the Women’s -49kg and Men’s -58kg divisions.
With rising stars continuing to challenge established champions, the Grand Prix series remains one of the most exciting stages in world Taekwondo, showcasing the next generation of elite athletes on the international scene.
