Taekwondo World Championships to be held in Manchester in 2019.

 With the Rio Olympic parade recently drawing to a close, Manchester is set to hold the World Taekwondo Championships in 2019.

It is still undecided who is to be picked from our great bunch of athletes at the GB team based in Manchester, until the selection event prior to the competition. The venue is also still to be confirmed.

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The first of the World Gran Prix series is set to start in London and is set out over three-year span, to then finish off in Manchester in 2019. There is also much discussion about bidding to host the World Para Taekwondo Championships in London, also next year.

Prior to the worlds, a series of national events held at the Copper Box Arena, in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic park, will begin from the 24th September, kicking off with less experienced athletes to the Sunday, where experienced and black belts compete, matches will last from 9am to 7pm throughout the day.

Amongst the current GB team that were seen to excel at the Rio Olympics, Jade Jones, the two-time Olympic champion, Lutalo Muhammad – silver medallist at Rio and bronze medallist, Bianca Walkden. All which are based in Manchester GB training centre.

Taekwondo has been an Olympic sport since the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. Over 60 million people worldwide practice the martial art that originates from South Korea.

In a competition, or in this case championships, a match consists of 3 rounds that are up to 2 minutes depending on the category. 1 point can be scored for a punch or kick to the body, 3 points can be awarded for a kick involving a turning motion and a kick to the head. Also, 4 points can be awarded for a kick to the head involving turning motion.

If you like to get involved in martial arts, there are a range of clubs and leisure centres in the Manchester and Salford region that are offering the sport. Go to this link below and search for clubs near you.

 

 

 By Tilly Marsh

 

 

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