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Finally! Ranking the 10 best Taekwondo players in the world
Claudia Kogi
updated at April 12, 2023 at 8:20 PM
Taekwondo is one of the most popular contact sports followed by people for both professional careers and for self-defence. It is a Korean form of martial arts involving punching and kicking techniques. The literal translation for tae kwon do is "kicking", "punching", and "the art or way of".
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Taekwondo is a traditional Korean martial art and Olympic game practised in 206 countries. The sport was developed by various mixed martial artists in Korea after the Second World War. Its oldest governing body is called Korea Taekwondo Association, KTA which was formed in 1959.
Top 10 Taekwondo players in the world
And while the sport can be traced back to Korea, it is not surprising that South Korea has by far won more gold and silver medals than any other competing nation. In fact, you will realise that most of the greatest Taekwondo fighters of all time are Koreans. According to data analysis, here are some of the most famous Taekwondo players, athletes and fighters you need to look out for.
10. Sebastian Eduardo Crismanich
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Though Croatian by ethnicity, Sebastian was born in Corrientes, Argentina, to an immigrant family. Regarding his childhood stories, Sebastian did not have any prior plans of being a Taekwondo enthusiast, as he was more interested in football. It was only a matter of time before Sebastian fully concentrated on the sport and even qualified and won the 2012 London Olympics.
Full name | Sebastian Eduardo Crismanich |
Date of birth | 30 October 1986 |
Nationality | Argentine |
Weight class | Heavyweight 80 kg+ |
Records | Won the first Taekwondo gold medal for Argentina |
Years active | 2011 to 2012 |
Top awards | A gold medal in 2012 |
9. Dongmin Cha
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Of course, it is not surprising to see a South Korean national appear on the list of the most popular Taekwondo athletes of all time. Cha Min is a heavyweight star renowned for intimidating his opponents both physically and mentally.
He has competed in three Olympic Games and took a gold medal during his first attempt in Beijing in 2008.
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Full name | Dongmin Cha |
Date of birth | 24 August 1986 |
Nationality | South Korean |
Weight class | Heavyweight 80 kg+ |
Years active | 2008 to 2016 |
Top awards | Olympic gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and a bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics |
8. Moon Dae-sung
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Be rest assured that Moon is not the last Korean Taekwondo athlete on this list. He started competing for the sport after winning a Taekwondo scholarship and entering the University of A in 1995.
His performances have never disappointed his fans, as he is such a committed and skilful Taekwondo athlete of all time.
Full name | Moon Dae-sung |
Date of birth | 13 September 1976 |
Nationality | South Korean |
Weight class | Heavyweight 80 kg+ |
Years active | 1995 to 2004 |
Top awards | A gold medal in the 2004 Athens Olympic Games |
7. Carlo Molfetta
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Carlo Molfetta is considered the greatest Italian Taekwondo athlete the sport has ever seen. Additionally, he has earned himself the number 7 spot among the top 10 best Taekwondo athletes of all time.
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He was present at the 2004 Athens Olympics but was too young to compete in the competitions. However, when it came to the 2008 season, he happened to be nursing severe injuries that prevented him from participating.
Despite all that, it did not deter the fact that he was such a great Taekwondo player.
Full name | Carlo Molfetta |
Date of birth | 15 February 1984 |
Nationality | Italian |
Weight class | All |
Years active | 2001 to 2016 |
Top awards | A gold medal in the London 2012 Olympics |
6. Chu Mu-yen
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Hailing from Taiwan, meet Chu Mu-yen, one Taekwondo players considered to be one of the most successful Taiwanese athletes of all time. Being among the smallest Taekwondo athletes at that time, he would often fight in the lowest weight categories.
Full name | Chu Mu-yen |
Date of birth | 14 March 1982 |
Nationality | Taiwanese |
Weight class | Fin-weight and flyweight and under 58 kg at the Olympics |
Years active | 2000 to 2008 |
Top wards | A gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics and bronze in 2008 at the Beijing Olympics |
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5. Joel Gonzalez
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Yes, Spanish nationals are on the list of the best Taekwondo athletes of all time. With Joel Gonzalez winning several championships, including a gold medal at the 2009 and 2011 World Championships, held in Copenhagen and Gyeongju, respectively.
Full name | Joel Gonzalez |
Date of birth | 30 September 1989 |
Nationality | Spanish |
Records | First Olympic Taekwondo gold medallist |
Weight class | Featherweight and Flyweight |
Top awards | A gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics and bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics |
4. Servet Tazegul
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All the way from Turkey, meet Servet Tazegul, who started his career by taking a gold medal at the World Junior Championships in 2005. He often took the gold medal in every European Championship he participated in.
Full name | Servet Tazegül |
Date of birth | 26 September 1988 |
Nationality | Turkish |
Records | 1st in the world |
Weight class | Featherweight |
Years active | 2004 to 2016 |
Top awards | A gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics, and bronze in Beijing in 2008 |
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3. Hwang Kyung Seon
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Another yet Korean Taekwondo player is Hwang Kyung Seon, who happens to be the only female Taekwondo athlete on the list. She took her first gold medal at the 2005 World Championships in Madrid.
After her glory in Madrid, she won yet another gold medal in 2006 at the Asian Games in Doha. Additionally, she took another gold medal during the 2007 at the Beijing World Championships.
Full name | Hwang Kyung Seon |
Date of birth | 9 November 1978 |
Nationality | South Korean |
Records | 5-time Taekwondo World Championship winner, first Taekwondo gold medallist at the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000 |
Weight class | Lightweight, middleweight |
Years active | 2004 to 2012 |
Top awards: | A gold medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, 2012 London Olympics and bronze in the 2004 Athens Olympics |
2. Hadi Saei
Hadi Saei was the first Iranian to ever participate and win the first gold medal during the 1997 West Asian games. Afterwards, he won yet another gold medal in 1999 during the World Championships in Edmonton.
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He has won other prestigious awards in the Taekwondo sector and today, he dines among the top famous Taekwondo players.
Full name | Hadi Saei |
Date of birth | 10 June 1976 |
Nationality | Iranian |
Weight class | Middleweight |
Records | 3 Olympic medals, most successful Iranian athlete in Olympic history |
Years | 1997 to 2008 |
Top awards | A gold medal at the 2004 and 2008 Olympic |
1. Steven Lopez
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And finally, meet Steven Lopez, who apparently is the only Taekwondo player hailing from the United States of America. The renowned athlete is arguably the most prominent Taekwondo player of all time. He is a 5-time world champion, having won a gold medal at the World Championships in 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2009.
Full name | Steven Lopez |
Date of birth | 9 November 1978 |
Nationality | American |
Weight class | Lightweight, middleweight |
Records | Won the Taekwondo World Championships 5 times and a gold medal at the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000 |
Years active | 1994 to 2015 |
Top awards | A gold medal at the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics, and bronze at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing |
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It is clear that some of the best Taekwondo players were born to throw those swift kicks. One thing about the sport is the fact that, it is not only for professional or entertainment purposes but also for learning purposes, whereby, people get to learn how to defend themselves.
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