Virtual Taekwondo Makes Asian Games Debut With VR Technology
Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail
VR headsets and motion sensors bring a contact-free version of taekwondo to the Asian Games
NAGOYA: Traditional taekwondo has entered the world of virtual sports with the debut of virtual taekwondo at the Asian Games, combining martial arts with virtual reality and motion-tracking technology.
The new format allows athletes to compete without making physical contact. Competitors wear VR headsets and special motion-tracking sensors that capture their movements and transfer them to digital avatars.
The athletes also wear tracking devices on their backs, thighs and shins to record their body movements during the competition.
A typical match consists of three 60-second rounds, with the winner determined by the best of three rounds. Competitors stand several metres apart in separate playing areas and use real-life kicks to target the virtual body and head of their opponent.
Points are registered through the virtual system, with successful attacks reducing the opponent’s digital health bar.
Although the athletes face each other during the match, there is no physical contact between them, making the format different from conventional taekwondo.
Singapore’s Darren Yap, who won a bronze medal in the virtual competition after also earning bronze in traditional taekwondo, described the experience as enjoyable.
He said the VR system allows athletes to see their opponent’s character, their own movements and the virtual health bar. Yap also said the format provides a way to practise and compete in taekwondo without direct physical contact.
New Format Brings Different Rules
Supporters of virtual taekwondo say the sport retains the physical demands of martial arts while reducing the risk of injuries associated with direct contact.
World Taekwondo has backed the development of the virtual format, which held its first world championships in Singapore in 2024.
Unlike traditional taekwondo, the virtual version does not separate competitors by gender or weight category. Men and women can compete against each other in the same event.
Yap said the mixed format could allow more people to participate and creates a different competitive environment.
Vietnam’s Chau Ngoc Tuyet Sang, who competes in both virtual and traditional taekwondo, also reached the final and won a silver medal after defeating Yap in the semi-final.
However, she noted that removing weight categories has both advantages and challenges. While competitors do not have to consider differences in body weight, physical strength can still vary between male and female athletes.
Singapore has emerged as an early centre for virtual taekwondo. The sport was also featured at the inaugural Olympic Esports Week held in Singapore in 2023.
With its Asian Games debut, virtual taekwondo has now gained exposure on a larger international sporting stage.
