Strike one! Taekwondo star hurls acrobatic first pitch in South Korean baseball game

PUBLISHED: 11:09, 21 August 2013 | UPDATED: 11:09, 21 August 2013

A South Korean Taekwondo champion left a stadium of sports fans gasping in awe as she spun through the air for a dramatic first pitch on Saturday.

Tae-Mi, who won the World Taekwondo Poomsae Championship in 2007, made her athletic pitch for the Doosan Bears game against SK Wyverns in Seoul.

As the star of the 2011 martial art film The Kick walked away from the pitcher's mound, former Cleveland Indians pitcher Chris Seddon appeared to be smiling in disbelief.

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Air time: Tae-Mi cartwheels through the air as she makes a first pitch for the Doosan Bears

The 29-year-old MLB relief pitcher joined the South Korean team, SK Wyverns, at the end of last year.

Tae-Mi's pitch comes a month after rhythmic gymnast Soo-ji Shin wowed the crowds with what was described as one of the most impressive wind-up in the history of baseball.

Leaving one foot on the ground, the petite gymnast twisted her body around in a full flip before straightening and launching the ball.

Her performance appears to have inspired a trend for more daring first pitches, as 23-year-old Tae-Mi proved at the weekend.

The ceremonial first pitch is a longstanding ritual in baseball and usually guest of honor is a dignitary or celebrity in attendance at the game, including Cristiano Ronaldo.