St. Gallen, Switzerland. — The 2026 Swiss Open Taekwondo concluded three intense days of competition at the Athletik Zentrum in St. Gallen, leaving an impression that extended well beyond the sporting results.
The second edition of the tournament since its relaunch confirmed the continued growth of an event seeking to establish itself firmly on the international calendar, combining strong organisation, competitive innovation, inclusion and a clear commitment to improving the experience of athletes and visiting delegations.
Held from 4 to 6 September, the event brought together 862 registered participants across the different divisions. Competition began on Friday with the cadets, continued on Saturday with the juniors and reached its peak on Sunday with the Senior G1 category, where experienced international and Olympic-level athletes competed for valuable World Taekwondo ranking points.
The Swiss Open was supported by Swiss Taekwondo, the European Taekwondo Union (ETU) and World Taekwondo, while Peer Steinkellner, tournament organiser and Swiss National Kyorugi Coach, played a central role in the event’s operational structure.
Three days designed to offer more competition
The programme was carefully structured across the three competition days.
On Friday, 4 September, cadet athletes opened the tournament in the male and female divisions. The juniors took centre stage on Saturday, 5 September, while Sunday, 6 September was dedicated to the Swiss Open Senior G1, featuring all eight recognised female and eight male World Taekwondo weight categories.
The opening days were contested across six competition courts, before the venue expanded to eight simultaneous courts for Sunday’s Senior G1 programme and the parallel competitions.
The event used the DAEDO GEN-3 PSS electronic system, with bouts contested under a direct-elimination format and the Best of Three system, in line with international competition standards.
However, one feature in particular gave the 2026 edition its own identity: the introduction of the Swiss Challenge.
Swiss Challenge: losing the first bout no longer meant the end of the tournament
Working alongside the European Taekwondo Union, the organisers introduced a pilot project aimed at addressing a familiar reality at international Opens: athletes often travel long distances, incur significant expenses and can see their tournament end after only one bout.
The concept was simple, but highly effective.
Athletes eliminated in their first Swiss Open bout were automatically given access, at no additional cost, to a second direct-elimination competition known as the Swiss Challenge.
One registration therefore provided athletes with a second competitive opportunity.
The Challenger format did not award international ranking points, but it featured its own competition structure, classification, certificates and awards, significantly increasing the sporting value of the trip, particularly for cadet and junior athletes looking to gain valuable international experience.
The initiative also produced an unusual sight at a ranking tournament: two competitive pathways and two separate award ceremonies running during the same event, allowing a greater number of athletes to leave St. Gallen with meaningful competitive experience.
Beyond medals and certificates, the philosophy behind the system could become an important reference for future events: allow athletes to compete more.
At a time when teams face the considerable costs of flights, accommodation, entry fees and preparation, offering a second opportunity after an early defeat represents a different way of approaching the athlete experience.
Para Taekwondo becomes part of the event’s evolution
Another important feature of St. Gallen 2026 was the inclusion of Para Taekwondo, reinforcing the inclusive direction the organisers want the Swiss Open to follow.
The participation of K44 athletes broadened the competitive scope of the tournament and added an important dimension to Sunday’s programme.
For an event still relatively young in its current format, the integration of Para Taekwondo was not simply an additional feature, but a clear indication of the direction in which the Swiss Open intends to develop.
International officials and experience
The 2026 edition was attended by Swiss Taekwondo President Dr Jean-Marie Ayer, who followed the competition throughout the weekend.
Technical management was led by Spain’s Paula Remírez Ruiz, an experienced international referee with a long record of involvement in major World Taekwondo events.
The refereeing operation was headed by Mergim Krasniqi, one of the leading figures in Swiss officiating and also involved in national referee education programmes organised by Swiss Taekwondo.
Also present was Angelo Spataro, representing Taekwondo Monaco and bringing extensive experience within the Monegasque technical structure.
A genuinely international competition
The Swiss Open once again demonstrated its growing international appeal. Across the three days, delegations from Europe, Asia, Africa, the Americas and Oceania competed in St. Gallen, giving the tournament a genuinely global dimension and allowing many young athletes to experience different styles of Taekwondo without having to leave Europe.
Cadets open the competition
The tournament began on Friday with the cadet divisions, with twenty male and female weight categories on the programme.
The first day also offered an immediate opportunity to see the new Challenger concept in action. Among the standout performers was Mihael Maniv, winner of the male -41kg category, while Nadja Babic claimed gold in the female -41kg division.
The opening-day team standings saw the Kazakhstan National Team finish first overall, followed by the UAE Sharjah Women’s Sports Club and TSV Dachau 1865.
Maniv and Babic were also recognised among the outstanding athletes of the day. Another element that immediately attracted attention was the presentation of the medals and trophies. Their distinctive design, combined with a separate awards ceremony for the Swiss Challenge, gave the podium presentations a strong visual identity and became one of the most notable features of the event.
Juniors maintain the momentum
Saturday belonged to the juniors, once again accompanied by the Swiss Challenge. A large number of categories and bouts ensured almost continuous activity across the competition courts.
Among the male gold medallists were Dario Petruzziello (-45kg), Yigit Efe Erdogan (-48kg), Emerik Dheur (-51kg), Fabian Aicher (-55kg), Gabriel Bonna (-59kg), Hector Pavon Reina (-63kg), Christian Difilippo (-68kg), Christopher Wünsch (-73kg) and Alessandro Giovagnoli (-78kg).
Female champions included Noemi Carboni (-42kg), Paraskevi Kalogirou (-44kg), Poppy Kingsley (-46kg), Marie Zilz (-49kg), Viktorie Marsakova (-52kg), Julia Pomper (-55kg), Emilia Laura Rucinski (-59kg), Aida Toure (-63kg), Ayla Gabriele Akin (-68kg) and Medina Zejneli (+68kg).
Senior G1 raises the level
Sunday brought a clear increase in sporting intensity.
With eight competition courts in operation, the Swiss Open G1 welcomed established international athletes, including competitors with Olympic, World, European and continental experience.
The availability of World Taekwondo ranking points added further significance to the competition as athletes continue to build towards Los Angeles 2028.
The male champions were Mathis Alesio Capolini (-54kg), Idriss N’Gaide (-58kg), Adem Salmi (-63kg), Souleyman Alaphilippe (-68kg), Javad Aghayev (-74kg), Stefan Takov (-80kg), Mehdi Abedini (-87kg) and Abolfazl Abbasi Pouya (+87kg).
The female gold medallists were Minaya Akbarova (-46kg), Maya Mata (-49kg), Melina Daniel (-53kg), Fabiola Guadalupe Villegas Machorro (-57kg), Helena Kicema (-62kg), Viktoria Rucinski (-67kg), Nadja Tesic (-73kg) and the Netherlands’ Niëlle Vroegh (+73kg).
France’s Souleyman Alaphilippe, a Paris 2024 Olympian and recent Mediterranean Games champion, claimed the -68kg title, while Serbia’s Stefan Takov won the -80kg division after defeating Rustam Odinaev in the final.
The presence of athletes of this calibre confirms that St. Gallen is increasingly being viewed not simply as another option on the European calendar, but as a serious platform for ranking points and preparation for major international objectives.
Organisation, security and atmosphere
One of the defining features of the three-day event was the overall atmosphere surrounding the competition.
St. Gallen provided a calm and safe environment for visiting delegations, while inside the Athletik Zentrum the layout of the courts, warm-up zones, team movement and continuous competition schedule allowed the tournament to maintain a strong rhythm throughout demanding days of action.
The work of the organising committee was particularly evident in the attention given to athletes, officials, coaches, referees and international guests.
A tournament can offer elite athletes, advanced technology and ranking points, but its international reputation is also shaped by the experience of the delegations attending it. In St. Gallen, there was a clear effort to make visitors feel welcome in Switzerland.
Two opportunities and an idea with potential
The most lasting legacy of this edition may ultimately prove to be the Swiss Challenge. The project began with a simple question: can an international Open offer more to an athlete who loses immediately? St. Gallen decided that it could. The result was a format in which dozens of athletes returned to the courts after being eliminated from the main draw. Some went on to win several more bouts, while others simply gained another valuable opportunity to test themselves in competition. But every one of them received something that traditionally disappears after a first-round defeat: another chance.
A Swiss Open determined to stay
St. Gallen 2026 left the impression of a tournament still building its history, but already equipped with enough distinctive elements to aim considerably higher.
The combination of E2 competition for cadets and juniors, the Senior G1, the new Swiss Challenge, the inclusion of Para Taekwondo, the DAEDO GEN-3 system, six and later eight competition courts, carefully designed awards and the presence of experienced international officials made the second edition an ambitious event.
There is still room for the Swiss Open to grow, and that may be one of its greatest strengths. Following its successful return in 2025, the 2026 edition increased its scale, introduced innovation and expanded its sporting offering.
Switzerland has not simply brought back an international Open. It is building an event with an identity of its own.
And St. Gallen 2026 left one conclusion difficult to ignore: the Swiss Open intends to become a permanent reference point on the world Taekwondo calendar.
Carlos Hernández & Ricardo Hernández
MundoTaekwondo.com
