Brazil’s Maria Clara Pacheco Becomes World No. 1 in Taekwondo

Brazilian athlete Maria Clara Pacheco has officially claimed the top spot in the world rankings for taekwondo in the under-57kg category, capping off a remarkable season that has made history for the sport.

The 22-year-old from São Vicente, on the coast of São Paulo, secured back-to-back Grand Prix titles — first in Charlotte, United States, and most recently in Muju, South Korea, where she stunned Olympic champion Kim Yu-jin with an electrifying performance.

Speaking about her rise, Maria Clara said: “Every fight is a dream come true. Beating an Olympic champion shows that with dedication and belief, Brazilians can reach the very top of this sport.”

From early promise to global stage
Maria Clara’s journey began at age 11, when she first put on the dobok and quickly rose through youth competitions. In 2017, she won a groundbreaking bronze medal at the Cadet World Championships, a sign of the talent to come. She later added bronze at the 2023 World Championships and finished seventh at the Paris Olympics, steadily building her reputation as one of taekwondo’s brightest stars.

Sports analyst Ricardo Menezes noted: “Maria Clara represents a new era for Brazilian taekwondo. She has the same potential to inspire the next generation that Natália Falavigna once did when she won Brazil’s first Olympic medal in the sport.”

Eyes on Wuxi, China
Now, with the world number one ranking secured, Maria Clara heads to Wuxi, China, where she will enter the World Championships (October 24–30) as the top favorite. Her goal is clear: to keep the Brazilian flag flying at the very top of the podium.

“I fight not only for medals, but to show the world the strength and determination of Brazilian athletes,” she said.