Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh’s taekwondo athlete Rupa Bayor clinched a bronze medal at the World Taekwondo President’s Cup – Europe (WT G3), held in Innsbruck, Austria.
The championship, held from November 29–30, was organised by the Austrian Taekwondo Federation. With 48 top-tier international athletes in contention, the event saw high-intensity competition in every round.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu, in a social media post, praised Bayor’s achievement, describing it as a proud moment for Arunachal Pradesh and the country.
“Heartiest congratulations to Ms. Rupa Bayor on winning the Bronze Medal at the World Taekwondo President Cup – Europe. Your dedication, discipline and fighting spirit continue to make Arunachal and the Nation proud,” he said.
Wishing her continued success, the chief minister expressed confidence that Bayor would scale greater heights in the sport. “Keep shining and keep inspiring,” he added.
Bayor’s podium finish adds to the growing list of international achievements by sportspersons from Arunachal Pradesh.
Bayor received a bye in the opening round, advancing straight into the main competition. She then delivered commanding wins over opponents from Finland, Denmark and Germany, displaying exceptional precision, speed and tactical control.
Her strong run continued into the semifinals, where she put up a determined fight before going down to a competitor from Mexico. The performance secured her a joint third-place finish, adding another significant international medal to her growing list of achievements.
Widely recognised as one of India’s leading taekwondo prospects, Bayor has an impressive track record, having secured medals at major events such as the South Asian Games, Australian Open, Croatia Open, multiple editions of the World Taekwondo President Cup, and several international ranking championships.
Hailing from Daporijo in Upper Subansiri district, she currently trains at the Indo-Korean Taekwondo Academy in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, where she continues to hone her world-class skills.
In 2023, Bayor made history by becoming the first Indian to win gold at the World Taekwondo President Cup Europe (Istanbul edition) in a WT Grade-2 Senior-1 Poomsae event. She went on to become the first Indian taekwondo athlete to enter the Top 10 in the world rankings, a landmark achievement for Indian martial arts.
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Her recent podium finish in Austria further reinforces her position as one of India’s most consistent and accomplished taekwondo athletes, inspiring young sportspersons across Arunachal Pradesh and the country.
