Gold rush is target for GB Taekwondo
TAEKWONDO TREVOR BAXTER JADE Jones was just seven when taekwondo made its first appearance as a competitive Olympic sport.
Nineteen years later Jones is 12 months out from becoming a three-times Games gold medallist and taekwondo has become one of Team GB’s go-to sports for Olympic medals – all made in Manchester.
At Rio 2016, the Newton Heath based programme achieved the same number of medals as boxing and sailing, equalled swimming’s gold medal haul and gained only one less gold than track and field athletics. Away from the action, GB Taekwondo’s administrators have been turning in fine performances of their own, working with stakeholders, including Manchester council, to secure three international events for the city during the Paris 2024 Olympic cycle.
The confidence of the sport’s governing body, World Taekwondo, to entrust Manchester with three of this martial arts crown jewels comes from an innovative and acclaimed World Championship at Manchester Arena back in May.
Athletes matched the organisational expertise by capturing four medals including golds for Jones, Bianca Walkden and Bradly Sinden-Britain’s first ever male able-bodied world champion.
Now, a year out from the start of Tokyo 2020, GB Taekwondo bosses are launching a drive to maximise the commercial opportunities afforded to being aligned with a regionally-based Olympic sport with high achieving global results.
“The World Championships in Manchester were a great success,” says GB Taekwondo chief executive officer, Matt Archibald who has previously occupied management roles in ●● Jade Jones boxing and athletics.
“Outside of competition, it was our biggest success ever and the biggest test of our organisation which we came through really well.
”It was further proof of how we grown into a mature organisation from a scrappy, upstart of a sport we may have once been viewed as.
“We are no longer a poor programme fighting for everything. We have a fantastic facility at the National Taekwondo Centre and a very strong cohort of athletes.
“Indeed, our last two culture checks from UK Sport have been industry leading. Now we have a goal to be as strong commercially as we are performance wise. We are not trying to compete with United and City; not even with British Cycling, another of Manchester’s sporting success stories.
“But we do feel we are their equal in terms of expertise, vision and where we benchmark against the rest of the world in our sport.
“We are just as excellent – just on a slightly smaller scale.”
Taekwondo’s growth in the UK is mirrored by impressive social media figures which will rise with Olympic success in Japan next year.
“It is possible our sport will be on the first four days of competition in Tokyo,” added Archibald. “So, we may produce the first Olympic champion for Team GB.
“We believe there must be businesses in Greater Manchester and the north west who could really engage with a sport like ours and go on a journey together.
“We are breaking through in lots of different ways. We have an awful lot to offer and think the right partner can be part of our journey too.”