Who are the top fighters in today’s taekwondo? This is how the sport sees the sport ... As taekwondo gears up for the 2016 Summer Games, we asked some of the sport’s top players, coaches, pundits and officials which stars will be in the spotlight in Rio. Our interviewees were asked to name two players, with only one qualification: Nobody could choose a player from his/her own nation. So, here we present how those on the front lines of taekwondo’s top-level competitions see their peers …
For the men’s team, it has to be the Iranians: In the -58 and -80 categories, they have really good fighters! But for me, the best two male fighters are Servet Tazegul (Turkey) and Alexey Denisenko (Russia). Their fight at the European Championships in Baku was a classic.
Dragan Jovic (Coach, Serbia): Among the women, I like Lucija Zaninovic (Croatia). She is a long-time, high level athlete, and she never steps back. She is a very dominant fighter: For her, every fight is a fight for life! For the men, it has to be Mahdi Khodabakhshi (Iran). When you see him fight, you have to ask, “How can he get all those points?” And they all look so easy - no stress! He can win a point from every position.
Luke Cook (Coach, Moldova): Gary Hall (Performance Director, Great Britain): I like Farzan Ashourzadeh Fallah (Iran). He is ultra-modern in the way he plays the game – his front leg and his tenacity on the PSS are really good. The pace he sets in the game is really strong: not many people can go with that pace! And he forces mistakes on his opposition. He is young and he is new and modern. Alexey Denisenko (Russia) is outstanding; over two years, he has not lost many times, though he lost in the final of the World Championships to Servet Tazegul (Turkey). He is a clinical deliverer of modern techniques. He can jump and get out of your way and come downward with a kick on your body pad - really clever!
Ali Sagirkaya (WTF Auditor, ETU Council Member and Turkish Taekwondo Federation International Coordinator, Turkey): Aaron Cook (Moldova). I like his style. He uses all the techniques, all the taekwondo techniques, and he has fighting spirit: he never backs up! And he is so gentlemanly. He is one of the best athletes, but one of the humble athletes. Great personality! He always respects. That shows to the world the philosophy of taekwondo - that is very important for us. And among the women, Brigitte Yague Enrique (Spain). She has been in it for years and she is always fighting at the top level. Athletes all have a curve – they are up and down - but Brigitte is always on the upper level. If you look at her age and her fighting spirit, you see how great an athlete she is.
Mike Mckenzie (WTF TV Commentator, Great Britain): Mahdi Khodabakhshi (Iran). He has amazing strength, ring presence and technique. The ring presence is where you look and expect to score. He may be five or six points down but he can
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get it back and look comfortable in that situation. The way he dominated the World Championships, I think, is a sign of things to come. The men’s -80kg category is so strong, and for him to stand out in it, is phenomenal. In that division, any one of the athletes on any given day could win a championship or an Olympic medal. Among the women, Kimia Alizadeh Zenoorin (Iran) is one to watch out for. She is tall, very tall for the category, and very strong and very young; she has just come up from the juniors. I have seen her in open championships, she is already giving Jade Jones (GB) and Eva Calvo Gomez (Spain) good matches. She is a dark horse. I have always been a fan of Iranian taekwondo. They are all unique athletes but they have a drive and determination, they are tactically clever and adaptable and they coach well.
Road to Rio: Stars to Watch
Road to Rio: Stars to Watch
Milica Mandic (Athlete, Serbia):
From the old guard: Servet Tazegul (Turkey). He just does not give a flying monkey’s - he goes in there! He wants to make it a fight, he is exciting to watch. He has all the techniques. The spins! The double spins! He is what taekwondo should be: Come and watch this! And his CV is full; he has won European, World and Olympic championships. And I would have to go for Mahdi Khodabakhshi (Iran). He is very inventive and deceptive in his way of hiding his techniques, he has great reflexes, he is very versatile. You think you can attack down here (gestures) - then he will spin and go up to the top. He is a bit cheeky too: He has fun in the ring, he has a lot of character. And a lot of fighters need to invent a character. A lot of fighters are very simple in their techniques, there is this “parking the bus” mentality. A lot of fighters have just spoiling techniques, they try and shut people down as they don’t have skills in attack. Sport should be entertainment! That puts bums on seats and the more bums on seats, the more exposure; the more publicity, the more that can be earned from it. The fighters should be thinking more positively, more aggressively.
Aaron Cook (Athlete, Moldova): I like Jaouad Achab (Belgium). He has got that mix of old-school and new-school taekwondo, he is strong and explosive, really good - he brings out the best in taekwondo. And among the women, Brigitte Yague Enrique (Spain). She is so technically good - the way she moves is really good to watch. She has that old -school style, but she is making it work in the new-school style.
Carlos Navarro (Athlete, Mexico): I would have to definitely say Aaron Cook (Moldova) – he likes to fight! He also looks very baaaaad! He wants to win. That’s what I like! And probably Rafael Castillo (Cuba). He likes to fight. He has many variations, he can kick the face, he can spin and he is very aggressive. Part 2 | Road to Rio
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