Virtual taekwondo makes Asian Games debut in Japan; Singapore's Darren Yap to compete

Virtual taekwondo will debut at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan from Sep 19 to Oct 4, with Singapore's Darren Yap among 16 athletes in the mixed-gender knockout event. The sport, co-developed by World Taekwondo and Singapore-based Refract Technologies, uses VR headsets and motion sensors to translate fighters' movements onto avatars. It was showcased at Singapore's Olympic Esports Week in 2023 and held its first world championships in Singapore the following year.