Bucharest, Romania — There are cities where history is written in cobblestones and medieval castles, and there are weekends where that very history is shaken to its core by the dry, electric snap of an apchagi on the mats. Bucharest once again transformed itself into the absolute epicenter of world taekwondo. The XV Dracula Open 2026 was not merely a G1–E1 ranked tournament; it was the apotheosis of its fifteenth anniversary, a milestone of maturity that ratifies the relentless pulse of an event that has already become living legend across the European and global circuits.
The numbers speak for themselves: 1,447 athletes stepped onto the Romanian tatamis, proudly representing 72 delegations from across all five continents. Across three intense days from the tactical pulse of the younger divisions and the blazing competitive fire of the juniors to the galactic display of the senior elites on the grand finale, the Romanian capital breathed the pure aroma of high-performance competition.
A Tribute to a Giant and the Vision of a Leader
The atmosphere of this edition was deeply emotional. The entire arena fell into a solemn, heavy minute of silence in memory of Slavi Binev, whose indelible legacy as President of the Bulgarian Taekwondo Federation, Vice-President of Europe Taekwondo, and member of the World Taekwondo Council echoed through every corner of the venue, reminding everyone that this sport is built upon the towering shoulders of giant souls.
Under the organizational stewardship of Constantin Apostol, President of the Romanian Taekwondo Federation, the event flowed with the precision of a Swiss watch. Apostol made no secret of his pride when reviewing a fifteen-year trajectory that has placed Romania at the pinnacle of international hospitality and logistical rigor.
The Senior Grand Finale: Where Medals Are Forged in Gold
The final day of combat turned the spotlight squarely onto the Senior division, transforming every single matchup into a high-speed game of physical and tactical chess. World-class contenders made their presence felt with unforgettable flashes of brilliance.
The senior podium delivered snapshots for the history books:
In the male divisions, names like Spain’s Jairo Agenjo (-54 kg), Greece’s Aristeidis Psarros (-58 kg), Italy’s Teodoro Del Vecchio (-63 kg), Ukraine’s Volodymyr Bystrov (-68 kg), Croatia’s Marko Golubic (-74 kg), fellow Ukrainian Kyrylo Hurnov (-80 kg), Brazil’s Arthur Meirelles Da Costa (-87 kg), and Refugee Team representative Abolfazl Abbasi Pouya (+87 kg) authored golden chapters of raw power and tactical mastery.
In the female divisions, the roll of champions shone brilliantly with international titles secured by Vasiliki Papadopoulou (GRE, -46 kg), the indomitable Adriana Cerezo (ESP, -49 kg), Turkey’s Sila Irmak Uzuncavdar (TUR, -53 kg), France’s Kanélya Carabin (FRA, -57 kg), Hungary’s superstar Viviana Márton (HUN, -62 kg), Tunisia’s Wafa Masghouni (TUN, -67 kg), Croatia’s Maja Srhoj (CRO, -73 kg), and Belgium’s Sarah Chaâri (+73 kg), who commanded the heavyweight division with absolute authority.
The Opening Pulse and Team Standings in the Base Categories
Junior A Division (Team Standings): The temperature rose on Day 2 with high-voltage matches in the Junior A category (Male & Female). The Belarus National Team dominated the division, taking first place with 5 gold medals and 12 total medals (27 athletes). The Israel National Team secured second place (3 silvers, 1 bronze; 10 athletes), followed by Moldova’s Sports School No. 6 in third (1 gold, 2 bronzes; 9 athletes).
Junior B Division (Team Standings): The Romania National Team stood as the sole participating squad, sweeping the category with a total of 22 medals (9 golds, 9 silvers, 4 bronzes)
Before the senior elite took over the spotlight on the final day, the colosal arena in Bucharest witnessed the fierce competitive fire of the development and youth categories:
Cadets & Pre-Cadets (Overall Team Standings): The tournament kicked off with absolute dominance by the host nation. The Romanian National Team claimed the overall top spot with 24 golds, 24 silvers, and 46 bronzes, followed by the Belarus National Team in second, and Moldova’s Sports School No. 6 in third.
Male Divisions: Romania dominated with 10 golds, 10 silvers, and 25 bronzes (45 total medals), followed by Sports School No. 6 (Moldova) and the Belarus National Team.
Female Divisions: The home team sealed a dominant victory with 49 medals (14 golds, 14 silvers, 21 bronzes), followed by Belarus and Sweden’s Staffanstorp Taekwondo Förening.
Until the next edition
The XV Dracula Open 2026 closes its doors firmly established as an undisputed benchmark of the international circuit, delivering successfully across participation volume, organization, and competitive caliber. We wrap up this special coverage from Bucharest having brought every detail of taekwondo’s premier celebration straight to our audience’s screen.
Explore the complete photo galleries, horizontal video recaps, and exclusive reports from every single day of competition exclusively on MundoTaekwondo.com social medias.
Ricardo Hernández
Mundotaekwondo.com
