Olympic taekwondo athletes
- Thread starter rabbit
- Start date
Perhaps an e-mail to Jean Lopez or Juan Moreno might get you the answers you desire. Though I believe that they are both on their way to China right now so it might be a few weeks before they are able to respond.
Their contact information such as e-mail addresses and phone numbers are easily found online via google searching.
Their contact information such as e-mail addresses and phone numbers are easily found online via google searching.
I'm curious to know how they qualify for the Olympics in the first place.
There are trail set forth by USAT and if you place then you are invited to Denver for a roundrobin fight off and then those athlete that win get place on the team.
So basically all fighting based? Is there a breaking or forms section to qualify?
Making the Olympic team is a quite a bit more complex than trials and a figtoff in Colorado Springs. The entire 23 page 2008 Olympic Team Selection Proceedure can be found at http://www.usa-taekwondo.us/2008OlympicSelectionProceduresFINAL040507.pdf
Keep in mind also that a max of 4 athletes (8 if you are the olympic host nation) can comprise your team for the olympics. So even if you are the greatest Featherwight in the world, if that division is not qualified in Manchester England later this year, you aint going to the big show.
Having read the selection proceedure, I would say that if you are a TKD athlete in the US, wanting to go to the 2008 Olympics, well first off you are WAY TOO LATE and second, for those that are well on their way to trying for an olympic slot, unless your name is Lopez you don't stand much of a chance because the way the criteria is laid out, it is seriously skewed in Steven, Mark and Diana's favor given their performance at 2005 worlds, which leaves only 1 open slot on the US team. Maybe there will be some surprises at worlds in Beijing in a few weeks.
I have to dis-agree you can make the Olympic if your name is not Lopez jus go out and beat them at there game and the round robin hold alot of wieght with the IOC and USAT.
Nia Abdullah also has her chance especially since she won in the last Olympics.
I know there is more to it than what I said but I was giving a brief overview, the next chance anyone has is 2012 or 2016 this one is all but wrapped up except if like you said something happens.
Nia Abdullah also has her chance especially since she won in the last Olympics.
I know there is more to it than what I said but I was giving a brief overview, the next chance anyone has is 2012 or 2016 this one is all but wrapped up except if like you said something happens.
Nia's failure to perform at 05 Worlds wherein Diana captured 8 points in the olympic selection process, may be her downfall. Who knows. But I will go out on a limb and predict the US 08 TKD team will consist of 3 Lopez's and ?
The greater question will be if they can even win a medal at the Olympics? Only time will tell.
cali_tkdbruin
Master of Arts
Yea like that is going to happen, Steven barely won the last time with controversy.
Miles
Senior Master
The greater question will be if they can even win a medal at the Olympics? Only time will tell.For myself I would like to see Olympic TKD mainstreamed in the Olympics and shown on prime time however I will not be holding my breath but there is still some hope.
Your timing is great Brian! This was posted on the WTF website:
"The World Taekwondo Federation will receive more TV rights revenues for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, as taekwondo has been promoted from Category E to D.
The promotion was announced during the General Assembly of the ASOIF (Association of Summer Olympic International Federations) at the Shangri-la Hotel in Beijing, China, on April 24, 2007.
The ASOIF General Assembly approved its Council proposal of promoting the World Taekwondo Federation and the International Triathlon Union from Group E to Group D for their contribution to the overall Games program. Taekwondo and triathlon made their respective debuts as the official Olympic sports at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.
Thus, the number of Summer Olympic sports in Category D increased from the previous 14 to 16. Sports in Group D are badminton, baseball, boxing, canoe, fencing, judo, wrestling, modern pentathlon, softball, table tennis, shooting, archery, sailing, weightlifting, taekwondo and triathlon.
Athletics is the only sport in Group A. Group B is composed of basketball, cycling, football, gymnastics, swimming, tennis and volleyball, while Group C consists of equestrian, handball, hockey and rowing.
The IOC’s initial categorization and subsequent amendments have resulted in the International Federations being divided into five groups, all of which have been allocated different amounts distributed equally within each group.
Additions to the Games program have been handled according to the principle that new sports on the program of the Summer Olympic Games should first be added to the 5th Group (Group E), but with the intention that those IFs should move up after a period of contribution to the overall Games program.
The ASOIF decided to retain Group E for new sports entering the official program for the 2016 Olympic Games."
Miles
Miles
Senior Master
At this point, only a portion of Taekwondo-kyorugi(free sparring) is in the Olympics. However, as Terry aludes, the WTF has recently standardized Poomsae rules for competition and this Fall the 2nd World Taekwondo Poomsae Championship will take place in Korea.
Miles
cali_tkdbruin
Master of Arts
YOU'RE RIGHT, and he'll be 30 years old when the Bejing '08 Olympics roll around. That would be quite over the hill for a world class Olympic taekwondo Kyoroogi competitor. Ahhh, but just keep kickin' and scrappin, Stevie!
TKDmel
Blue Belt
I personally think that an old friend and student of mine, David Bartlett, could take Lopez. He didn't make it to the last competition due to having mono. But best of luck to whomever represents the U.S,!
