1st WMC Martial Arts - Summary News

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WARENDORF (GER) - he city of Warendorf became the global capital of military martial arts from 22 to 29 June 2025, hosting the inaugural CISM World Military Martial Arts Championship. This groundbreaking event united three prestigious competitions — the 28th World Military Taekwondo Championship, the 38th World Military Wrestling Championship, and the 43rd World Military Judo Championship — into one historic week of sport, camaraderie, and international friendship.

The first days set the tone with spectacular contests across all three disciplines. Korea dominated the taekwondo mats with early golds from Tae Chang Eom and Kim Se Yun, while Germany delighted the home crowd with Niklas Stechele’s wrestling triumph. In judo, Bahrain, Hungary, Italy, France, and Algeria all secured podium places, showcasing the global spread of talent.

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Day 2 belonged to France and Brazil. France swept three taekwondo titles thanks to Lucien Theo, Lorenzo Capuano, and Kanelia Carabin, while adding victories in judo and wrestling. Brazil responded on Day 3, where Marcelo Fronckowiak and Beatriz Souza claimed dominant judo golds. Germany’s Anna-Maria Wagner also thrilled home fans in the -78kg class, while India’s women wrestlers stole the show with a series of gold-medal performances across multiple weight categories.

The championships reached their peak on the final days. Brazil stormed to victory in the Mixed Judo Team event, defeating France in a thrilling final, with Germany and Italy sharing bronze. In Greco-Roman wrestling, Germany topped the team standings, supported by individual brilliance from India, Hungary, Turkey, Finland, and Greece. Taekwondo closed in style with Korea reaffirming its supremacy in the men’s divisions, while France’s Althéa Laurin and Germany’s Lorena Brandl — later named Best Female Athlete — delivered memorable victories in the women’s categories.

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Beyond medals, the championships celebrated the spirit of military sport. Germany received the Fair Play Award, Ecuador was honored with the Encouragement Award, and outstanding contributions from coaches and referees were also recognized. The Republic of Korea, France, Brazil, Germany, Hungary, and India emerged as the leading nations across the three sports, but every participating delegation contributed to the event’s success.

With thousands of spectators, flawless organization by the Bundeswehr Sports School and the German Local Organizing Committee, and unforgettable moments of skill, respect, and solidarity, this first edition was hailed as a landmark in CISM history. Athletes and officials alike praised the championship for uniting martial arts disciplines in a format that strengthened bonds between nations and highlighted CISM’s values of “Friendship Through Sport.” As the curtain fell on Warendorf, the consensus was clear: the 1st CISM World Military Martial Arts Championship has set a new standard for future military sporting events.