Rupa Bayor has become the first Indian taekwondo athlete to attain World Rank 6 and Asia Rank 1 in recognised poomsae, marking a milestone for the sport in India.
Bayor’s progression in the international rankings has been steady. She entered the world rankings at No. 123 in 2021 and moved up consistently over the following years. Her latest ranking places her among the top poomsae athletes globally and makes her the highest-ranked athlete in Asia, a first for an Indian competitor.
The achievement has drawn attention in her home state of Arunachal Pradesh. Chief Minister Pema Khandu congratulated her, noting that the result set a new benchmark for Indian athletes. Her performance has also been cited as a source of motivation for young sportspersons across the country.
Bayor is from Sippi village in the Daporijo circle of Upper Subansiri district in Arunachal Pradesh. She lost her father at a very young age and grew up supporting her mother, along with four siblings, by helping with agricultural work. Her early life involved significant challenges, which shaped her approach to sport.
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She was introduced to martial arts by her maternal uncle, a karate master, who identified her potential and began training her in 2015. Bayor started professional taekwondo training in 2021 at the Indo-Korean Taekwondo Academy in Mumbai under coach Abhishek Dubey. Within a short period, she began competing internationally and won her first international medal in Croatia in 2022. She also qualified for the Asian Games but was unable to participate due to visa-related issues.
In 2024, Bayor won a bronze medal at the 8th Asian Taekwondo Poomsae Championships in Vietnam and secured a silver medal at the Australian Open. These results contributed to her rise to World Rank 6 and Asia Rank 1, establishing her as a leading figure in Indian taekwondo.
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