The new electronic scoring system will remove human error from judging and ensure an exciting level playing field for all athletes.
TAEKWONDO FORMAT
Taekwondo athletes compete according to their respective weight categories. To progress into finals, competitors move through a single elimination tournament with a double repechage for the bronze medal contest. For an athlete to make it to the gold medal match, he or she must have progressed through the preliminary rounds undefeated; whereas the bronze medal matches will be between two players who have each lost one contest. Boxing, judo and taekwondo are the only Olympic sports to award two bronze medals.
Taekwondo matches consist of three rounds, each of two minutes, with a one-minute recess between rounds. One referee and three judges manage the contest. Each scoring technique earns one point; the final score is the sum of all points won in the three rounds, after any penalties are deducted. Points and penalties are made public by electronic scoreboards.
For the first time at an Olympics, competitors will wear electronic chest pads for registering successful hits. This progression is part of the international federation’s efforts to ensure fairer judging and refereeing.
The Olympic taekwondo competition will feature four events for men and women. The weight categories are:
- Men – Under 58kg, Under 68kg, Under 80kg, Over 80kg
- Women – Under 49kg, Under 57kg, Under 67kg, Over 67kg
Competitors wear different coloured ‘tobok’ or uniforms – chung (blue) and hong (red) – and combat each other using punching and kicking techniques. While kicks to the body and face are permitted, only punches to the body are allowed. Vulnerable parts of the body are covered by protective equipment.
QUALIFICATION AND SELECTION
Countries can qualify a maximum of one competitor per weight category (4 men, 4 women) for London 2012. Athletes can qualify spots for their country at the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) Qualification Tournament and Continental Qualification Tournament.
The first three athletes in each weight category at the WTF Tournament held in Baku in July 2011 qualified a spot for their NOC. Australian athletes did not qualify any spots here so will need to win at the Oceania Qualification Tournament (OQT) in New Caledonia in September 2011.
Safwan Khalil and Carmen Marton won the Oceania championships and claimed Australia's only quota places in the men’s U/58kg and the women’s U/67kg for London.
For all the Nomination and Selection documentation click here>>>
AUSTRALIAN OLYMPIC HISTORY
Taekwondo may have origins stemming back over 2000 years, but it was only at Sydney 2000 that it became an Olympic sport after being a demonstration in 1988 and 1992.
Australian U/49 kilogram class competitor Lauren Burns had the honour of claiming the first Australian gold medal in taekwondo. Also at Sydney 2000 Daniel Trenton won silver in the heavyweight class. Australia has gone close to the podium in 2004 and 2008 but just fell short.
To learn more about the history of taekwondo at the Olympics click here>>>