Paris 2024: Ones to Watch in Para taekwondo

The 10 Para taekwondo athletes you should be looking out for when the next Paralympics kick off in Paris 19 Jun 2024

By IPC

With the countdown to the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games well and truly in the final stages, our Sport Weeks provide you with the perfect guide to each of the competitions being contested in France.

To round off this week, here are the Para taekwondo fighters to look out for when the Games open on 28 August.

Alican Ozcan (Turkiye)

A close-up shot of a male Para taekwondo athlete. His coach is giving him a bottle of water — @World Taekwondo

The bronze medallist from the 2023 Worlds in the men’s K44 -58kg is looking to replicate his podium success on his Paralympic debut in Paris.

Antonino Bossolo (Italy)

Two male Para taekwondo athletes fight in a match. An athlete wearing a red head gear kicks his opponent wearing a blue head gear. — @World Taekwondo

The reigning world champion in the men’s K44 -63kg narrowly missed the Paralympic podium at Tokyo 2020 after finishing fourth. He will be one of the favourites to medal at his second Games.

Asadbek Toshtemirov (Uzbekistan)

A male Para taekwondo athlete putting a thumbs up — @Ben Roberts Photo/Getty Images

He will be a real challenger for the Paris 2024 podium in his Games debut after being crowned men’s K44 -80kg world champion in 2023.

Evan Medell (USA)

A male Para taekwondo athlete kicking — @World Taekwondo

The two-time world men’s K44 +80kg medallist claimed bronze at the sport’s Paralympic debut in Tokyo despite breaking his foot in the semi-final.

Salma Ali (Egypt)

Two female Para taekwondo athletes fight in a match. The athlete wearing a red head gear kicks her opponent wearing a blue head gear. — @Ben Roberts Photo/Getty Images

The 2022 African champion in the women’s K44 -52kg heads to Paris 2024 aiming to improve on her sixth place at the sport’s Paralympic debut in Tokyo.

Silvana Mayara Cardoso Fernandes (Brazil)

A female Para taekwondo athlete poses for a photo with a bronze medal — @CPB

The double world champion won all four of her competitions in 2023 as she cemented her status as one of the favourites for women’s K44 -57kg gold in Paris.

Beth Munro (Great Britain)

Beth Munro shouts in celebration after winning her bout at the Manchester 2022 European Championships. — @World Taekwondo

The world silver medallist and reigning European champion in the women’s K44 -56kg was a breakout star at Tokyo 2020, after winning Paralympic silver in just her second international competition.

Guljonoy Naimova (Uzbekistan)

Guljonoy Naimova smiles as she celebrates with her gold medal — @Lintao Zhang/Getty Images

Uzbekistan’s youngest-ever Paralympic champion is the first fighter to have held Paralympic, world and Grand Prix titles at the same time. She is aiming to repeat her Paralympic triumph in Paris.

Rachid Ismaili Alaoui (Morocco)

A male athlete wearing a blue gear — @World Taekwondo

A rising star of the men’s K44 -70kg division. He finished fifth at the 2023 World Championships to add to his top-10 place in Para taekwondo’s Paralympic debut at Tokyo 2020.

Zakia Khudadadi