Paris 2024 Olympics: program, history, athletes, taekwondo at the Olympic and Paralympic Games

A martial art from South Korea, taekwondo is set to bring the Grand Palais to life this summer 2024, during the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games. An opportunity to learn more about this combat sport and the competition program!

Do you like combat sports and martial arts? Then you're bound to have snapped up tickets for the taekwondo tournament , taking place from August 7 to 10, and again from August 29 to 31, 2024 at the Grand Palais in Paris. The just-renovated monument is in fact hosting the events of this discipline of South Korean origin, on the occasion of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

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The history of taekwondo :

Taekwondo comes to us from South Korea, and is closely linked to the country's history. The sport first appeared around 50 BC: in its original form, "taekkyon" (meaning hand-foot) was a martial art combining empty-hand and leg techniques. Various martial arts evolved from this combat sport. In the 20th century, Japanese colonialists forbade Koreans to practice these sports, judging them to be too symbolic of Korean culture.

Taekwondo at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games:

Grand Palais
individual and team events
July 27 to August 6 and August 29 to 31

Taekwondo in the History of the Olympic and Paralympic Games:

Taekwondo in its modern form was born in the 1950s: it is a blend of karate and Japanese martial arts practices, a renewed art developed in Korean martial arts schools. The sport went international in the early 1970s, and was included in the official program of the Olympic Games in 2000.

Para taekwondo is a young sport, born in 2005, and its success has not waned since. The second combat sport to be included in the Paralympic Games, 33 years after para judo, para taekwondo will make its debut in Tokyo in 2021.

Taekwondo at the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games, its rules :

In its Olympic version , taekwondo has eight events: -58kg, -68kg, -80kg and +80kg for men, -49kg, -57kg, -67kg and +67kg for women. At the Paralympics, there are five different weight categories for each group (-58kg, -63kg, -70kg, -80kg and +80kg for men and -47kg, -52kg, -57kg, -65kg, +65kg for women).

The aim of taekwondo is to kick and punch your opponent without being hit. The fighter is awarded a certain number of points according to the number of blows delivered, but also according to technical skill and the area hit. The two taekwondoists clash " on an octagon-shaped combat area, over three rounds of two minutes each." Whoever has the most points at the end of the match wins.

At the Paralympic Games, only athletes with an upper limb disability are allowed to fight. Unlike the Olympic version, here only kicks to the trunk are counted. Any blow to the head is considered a foul.

Taekwondo at the Paris 2024 Olympics and JOP, French athletes :

Unsurprisingly, South Korea dominates this discipline, with 12 gold, 3 silver and 7 bronze medals won at the Olympic Games from 2000 to 2020. Also on the podium are China and the USA, with 11 and 10 medals respectively. France is 24th overall, with 3 silver and 5 bronze medals.

However, all is not lost for the French: two athletes are currently ranked number 1 in the world in their category, according to the world federation: we hope that Althéa Laurin and Magda Wiet-Hénin will win gold!

For these Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, several French para taekwondoists are worth keeping a close eye on, including Sophie Caverzan, Djelika Diallo and Bopha Kong.

Where can you practice taekwondo in Paris and the Ile-de-France region?

According to the French Taekwondo Federation, there are over 230 clubs in the Paris region, so there's bound to be one near you! Taekwondo is waiting for you.