Analysis of Match Performance in World-Class Taekwondo Sparring Athletes for the Application of Tactical Training

This study investigated performance variations across weight categories in elite female Taekwondo kyorugi athletes to aid in optimizing weight-category-specific training prescriptions and tactical strategies. By analyzing 294 match videos from the 2019 World Taekwondo Championships, athletes were categorized into four distinct Olympic weight groups, ranging from L1 to L4. Performance data were analyzed using an integrated analytical framework involving cross-tabulation, Rasch model analysis to estimate scoring difficulty, Differential Item Functioning (DIF) analysis, and Chi-square (χ²) tests to examine match situations, court control, scoring variables, and penalties. The results suggest that scoring difficulty for athletes in L1, L2, and L3 followed a hierarchy of "Tie > Behind > Leading," whereas the heavyweight category (L4) demonstrated a distinct pattern “Behind > Leading > Tie". Regarding spatial dynamics, scoring difficulty was highest during "Center Dominance" for L1–L3, but peaked during "Perimeter Control" for the L4 category. The DIF analysis further indicated that scoring difficulty patterns significantly fluctuated based on the complex interaction between weight category and specific match contexts. Additionally, χ² tests further identified significant round-specific differences in scoring areas, technical execution, and penalty types, with both technical hits and penalty occurrences (e.g., falling and pushing) peaking in Round 3 due to accumulated fatigue and high tactical pressure. These findings suggest that elite coaching and match management should be systematically tailored to the physiological and tactical demands of each weight-category. Although constrained to the 2019 ruleset, this study underscores the necessity of continuous investigation into how rule changes reshape competitive performance determinants in elite taekwondo.