Taekwondo, as a combat sport, took nearly 12 years to be approved by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), as it was a demonstration sport at the 1988 and 1992 Summer Olympics before being approved for the 2000 Sydney Olympics. The World Championships feature eight weight categories, while the Olympics feature just four per gender. This is done to limit the total number of athletes competing.
The combat sport is governed by the 1973-formed World Taekwondo Federation (WTF), which got IOC recognition in 1980. However, given that the abbreviation "WTF" is synonymous with popular slang, its name was changed to World Taekwondo in 2017.
Korea has won 22 medals at the Olympics, including 12 gold ones, and China has won 11 medals, including seven gold ones. Three taekwondoka, Steven Lopez (USA), Hadi Saei (IRI), and Hwang Gyeong-Seon (Korea), have won two golds and a bronze. Interestingly, Mexican María Espinoza has won gold, silver, and bronze, one each.
Read More : Olympic Gold Medal
The List of Olympic Medalists of Team USA in Taekwondo
At the all-time medal table for Olympic taekwondo, the United States stands third with a total of 10 medals, including three golds.
Korea is at the top of the table, dominating all 42 nations that have ever won at least a medal, with a total of 22 medals, including 12 golds. China is leading with second place and a total of 11 medals, including seven golds.
The list of Olympic medalists for Team USA in taekwondo is as follows:
| Year | Event | Name | Medal |
| 2000 | Featherweight, Men | Steven Lopez | Gold |
| 2004 | Welterweight, Men | Steven Lopez | Gold |
| 2004 | Featherweight, Women | Nia Abdallah | Silver |
| 2008 | Featherweight, Men | Mark Lopez | Silver |
| 2008 | Welterweight, Men | Steven Lopez | Bronze |
| 2008 | Featherweight, Women | Diana Lopez | Bronze |
| 2012 | Featherweight, Men | Terrence Jennings | Bronze |
| 2012 | Welterweight, Women | Paige McPherson | Bronze |
| 2016 | Heavyweight, Women | Jackie Galloway | Bronze |
| 2020 | Featherweight, Women | Anastasija Zolotic | Gold |
Anastasija Zolotic was 18 years old when she became the first American women's gold medalist in taekwondo at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The Olympic champion's season came to an unexpected end due to a knee injury, and she struggled to punch or kick for about eight months and thought about giving up due to a serious "loss of motivation."
After being taught the art of taekwondo by her father when she was five years old, Zolotic went on to win silver at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, among others. She gradually recovered and even underwent surgery to help her regain her motivation to compete in taekwondo tournaments and future Olympics in the featherweight (57 kg) division.
Read More : Who Has the Most Olympic Medals
FAQ's On Olympic Medalists in Taekwondo
A. Yes, taekwondo has been an Olympic sport since the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
A. Using the World Taekwondo (WT) Olympic Rankings, the top practitioners in each of the eight weight classes (four per gender) will receive five quota spots in their respective NOCs.
A. Karate is no longer an Olympic sport since it lacks entertainment value and doesn't attract a younger audience.
A. Yes, a taekwondoka can win a match through knockout as well, but this is rather a rare occurrence.
A. Taekwondo has appeared in the Olympics five times, from the 2000 Sydney Olympics to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
