Athletes from Kalmykia took medals at a tournament in virtual taekwondo, a technology-driven discipline promoted by World Taekwondo. Participants use VR headsets and motion sensors to control virtual fighters through their own body movements in digital space.
Mikhail Namruev placed second and Adyan Namruev placed third. They represent the republican complex sports school of Olympic reserve, the Taekwondo Federation of Kalmykia, and the "Taekwondo - Elista" club. The discipline has appeared in the Olympic Esports Series, and the first World Taekwondo Virtual Championships took place in 2024, with goals for further development in esports and Olympic contexts.