MANCHESTER, UK (Nov 27, 2023) - The stage is set for the World Taekwondo Grand Prix Final in Manchester to captivate fans from December 2 to 3, with the sport’s top athletes ready to battle it out for gold and valuable Paris 2024 Olympic Games qualification points.
The countdown is on for 128 Taekwondo superstars from 38 countries to return to the Manchester Regional Arena. With a lineup featuring Olympic and World Champions, Grand Prix medallists and rising stars, the event promises to be a fierce conclusion to an incredible Grand Prix season. Athletes will compete across eight Olympic weight categories, with a dedicated team of 192 officials ensuring the highest standards of refereeing.
Key names to look out for in Manchester across each of the weight categories, include: 2019 World Champion and Asian Games Hangzhou 2023 champion Jun Jang of Korea (M-58kg), Tokyo 2020 champion Ulugbek Rashitov of Uzbekistan (M-68kg), 2023 World Champion Simone Alessio of Italy (M-80kg), 2023 World Champion Cheick Sallah Cisse of Côte d’Ivoire (M+80kg), Tokyo 2020 champion Panipak Wongpattanakit of Thailand (W-49kg), 2023 World Champion Zongshi Luo of China (W-57kg), and France’s reigning World Champions Magda Wiet Henin (W-67kg) and Althea Laurin (W+67kg).
And of course, Great Britain’s Jade Jones (W-57kg), Bradly Sinden (M-68kg), Caden Cunningham (M+80kg) and Rebecca McGowan (W+67kg), to name just a few, will also be hoping to ride the wave of home support to victory. As always, emerging talents will be hot on their heels in the hunt for Grand Prix glory.
The World Taekwondo Gala Awards will be staged in the evening of December 3rd.
The full list of awards is:
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2023 WT Female Athlete of the Year (Para Taekwondo)
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2023 WT Male Athlete of the Year (Para Taekwondo)
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2023 WT Female Athlete of the Year
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2023 WT Male Athlete of the Year
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2023 WT MNA of the Year
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2023 WT MNA of the Year (Para Taekwondo)
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2023 WT Coach of the Year (Para Taekwondo)
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2023 WT Coach of the Year
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2023 WT Female Referee of the Year
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2023 WT Male Referee of the Year
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2023 WT Kick of the Year
