Jonathan Healy and Maikol Rodriguez won bronze medals at the World Taekwondo Championships, marking the first time that two U.S. men won a medal at the same worlds in the sport since 2009.
Healy won the U.S.’ first men’s heavyweight medal since 1987, one year after he posted the best Olympic finish for an American men’s heavyweight since taekwondo became a medal sport in 2000.
Healy, a 28-year-old from Spring, Texas, won his first three matches Friday in Wuxi, China, to clinch a medal and a spot in the semifinals.
He was swept in the final four by eventual world champion Kang Sang-Hyun of South Korea.
Healy became the first American men’s heavyweight medalist at taekwondo worlds since Jimmy Kim took silver in 1987. Kim won the Olympic heavyweight title in 1988 when taekwondo was a demonstration sport.
Last year, the 6-foot-6 Healy was eliminated in the quarterfinals of his Olympic debut in Paris.
He also made the quarterfinals at the 2022 Worlds and was eliminated in the round of 32 in 2023. He earned bronze at junior worlds in 2014.
On Tuesday, Rodriguez won his first four matches in the 68kg featherweight division to clinch bronze before falling in the semifinals to Seong Yu-Hyeon of South Korea.
Rodriguez previously competed at the 2022 Worlds at the non-Olympic weight of 63kg, losing in the round of 32.
Olympic men’s taekwondo has four weight divisions, including 68kg.
Also Tuesday, Olympic 67kg bronze medalist Kristina Teachout lost her opening match to eventual champion Luana Marton of Hungary.
