Amy Truesdale: "My biggest goal is to become Paralympic champion at Paris 2024"

Great Britain’s Para taekwondo star Amy Truesdale is on a mission to win her first Paralympic gold medal at Paris 2024 after finishing with a bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.

ParalympicsGB announced their Para taekwondo squad for Paris 2024 on 18 June. Truesdale will travel to the French capital with Tokyo 2020 silver medallist Beth Munro and Matt Bush, who missed out on competing in Japan due to injury.

“I am delighted to be selected for my second Paralympic Games,” Truesdale said. “I am going into the Games in a very good position and am looking forward to showcasing Para taekwondo to the world.”

Ticket to the Paralympics

Truesdale is looking to take the spotlight in Paris after facing disappointment at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, where Para taekwondo made its Paralympic debut.

Truesdale, who came into Tokyo 2020 as a gold medal favourite, finished with a bronze medal in the women’s +58kg K44 after losing to Uzbekistan’s Guljonoy Naimova in the semifinal. 

“Winning bronze in Tokyo was the hardest thing I’ve been through. It was very difficult and I was very disappointed,” Truesdale recalled.

“I was No. 1 in the world, and I was world champion, and I got gold in the Tokyo test event. But on this day, it was the worst performance that I’d ever done.”

The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, which open on 28 August, will feature up to 120 taekwondo fighters competing in 10 medal events. The sport, which made its Paralympic debut at Tokyo 2020, will be staged at the Grand Palais.

“The best part (about Paris 2024) is that we are going to have more spectators, which is going to be amazing. We are going to get a lot more support,” she said when asked for her expectations.

Last year, she won her third title at the World Para Taekwondo Championships in Veracruz, Mexico, as she prepares for her second Paralympic Games.

“My biggest goal is to become Paralympic champion at Paris 2024”

I am Delighted to announce I have been selected to compete In my Second Paralympic Games.

Its been an amazing journey so far and Its far from over yet.

Im on the path to Paris 🥋 @Paris2024 @Paralympics @GBTaekwondo @ParalympicsGB #Paralympics#taekwondo pic.twitter.com/zyRNcwGalx

— Amy Truesdale PLY (@amytruesdale1) June 18, 2024

Change starts with sport

Truesdale, who was born without a left arm, took up taekwondo more than 25 years ago. Her parents encouraged her to take up martial arts for self-defense.

“It’s been a very long journey. Before I was a Paralympic athlete, I used to fight with able-bodied taekwondo (athletes), so it was a big transition, transferring over to be a Para athlete. There are different styles of taekwondo, different disciplines.

“So it has been a very long journey. But it has been amazing.”

Since switching to Para taekwondo in 2009, Truesdale has paved the way for many athletes competing in the sport. She won her maiden world title in 2014, a year before the sport programme for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics was announced. 

She won the world title again in 2017 before capturing her third title in Mexico last year.

“I feel sport has given me the opportunity to be more disciplined within myself. It has given me the opportunity to travel the world, meet some amazing and inspiring people, so I think it has been life-changing being part of sport.”

Para taekwondo for all

Para taekwondo is a contact sport featuring rapid and powerful kicks to the body. Athletes score points by hitting their opponent’s torso – athletes get two points for a regular kick, three points for a turning kick and four points for a spinning kick.

Did you know that #ParaTaekwondo made its Paralympic debut at Tokyo 2020? 🥋

Here's all you need to know about this contact sport.#Paralympics @worldtaekwondo https://t.co/fLCTWQDxMN

— Paralympic Games (@Paralympics) June 17, 2024

Truesdale says the sport is for everyone.

“I think the sport is very versatile, there is something for everybody. Even if you haven’t done a martial art before, if you are quite sporty, there are transferable skills that you can use in Para taekwondo.”

With less than 80 days to go until Paris 2024, Truesdale is aiming to bring home the Paralympic gold medal, the only medal missing from her collection.

“I have every medal but haven’t got that one that I want yet,” Truesdale said. “In order to be a Paralympic champion, you need determination, you need to be adaptable and you need to be able to take feedback well.”

And what is next for Truesdale after Paris 2024?

“For me, taekwondo is a massive part of my life. Even after Paris, LA (28 Paralympics) is definitely a goal of mine, so I will keep competing, and obviously the gold is the main target that I’m going for.”

Discover more about Para taekwondo and the 22 sports in the Paris 2024 Paralympic sports programme 

Book your tickets for the Paralympic Games by visiting the Paris 2024 ticketing website