MONTREUX, Switzerland (May 7, 2016) - The excitement is growing in Montreux, as the “Pearl of the Swiss Riviera” is getting ready to welcome from May 19 to 22, the ETU European Taekwondo Championships Montreux 2016, the final cardinal event to be hosted in the Old Continent.
Just a few months prior to Rio Olympic Taekwondo Competition, a total of 387 Taekwondo fighters from 46 countries is set to compete in the 22nd edition of the European Championships (20th for the women’s category) to place themselves in the Pantheon of winning athletes, performing at top level.
In fact, for the first time in the history of the competition, the medal winners of the 1st WTF President’s Cup (held 7-10 April in Bonn, Germany), qualified directly to the ETU European Taekwondo Championships Montreux 2016, therefore earning each country the right to compete with more than one athlete in every category.
Some of the brightest stars of world Taekwondo will parade at the European Championships in Montreux, prepared to offer a great spectacle on the four courts of “Salle Omnisports du Pierrier”.
The Road to Rio passes through Montreux
The European Taekwondo Championships, held for the first time in Switzerland, will be under the spotlight as 41 out 42 athletes of both men’s and women’s categories have earned the “golden” ticket for Rio 2016 Summer Olympics. Among them, the four (4) Gold medallists of London 2012, Jade Jones from Great Britain, Servet Tazegül from Turkey, Joel González from Spain and Milica Mandić from Serbia will also give their best performance, exploiting their dynamic before Rio 2016.
Save the dates
The official Press Conference is scheduled for Tuesday, May 17, while the draw will be held the following day. The Championships will start on Thursday, May 19 to be concluded on Sunday, May 22. The Opening Ceremony, which will take place upon completion of the Finals of the first day, will also include exhibition matches by the WTF Demonstration Team.
The ETU European Taekwondo Championships Montreux 2016 is supported by the Swiss Olympic Association.
About ETU:
As the European continental organization of the World Taekwondo Federation, the ETU is the official governing body taekwondo in Europe. It comprises the National Taekwondo Federations of all the European member nations and regulates all Taekwondo matters on a continental basis.
Effie Zikouli, Chairwoman, ETU TV & Media Committee, e-mail:mediaetu@gmail.com