Taekwondo: What to watch in Athens
South Korea--the nation where the sport originated--and American Steven Lopez
dominated the taekwondo competition in its inaugural Olympic appearance
in Sydney. Heading into Athens, South Korea is as strong as ever and
Lopez is back for more, but they will have to contend with strong
Iranian, Turkish and Greek contingents.Here are the top stories heading into Athens:
1. Lopez back for more
American Steven Lopez won gold in the featherweight division at the 2000 Olympics. Now he is eyeing his second Olympic title, but in a different weight class -- welterweight. Lopez mastered the heavier weight class as well, winning the 2003 World Championship. After securing his return trip to the Games on June 5 when he beat Tony Graf at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Lopez enters Athens in position to be a two-time Olympic champion.
2. Iranians emerging
After winning just one medal at the 2000 Sydney Games (a featherweight bronze by Hadi Saeibonehkohal), Iran has had a stronger presence at international competitions. The country tallied six top-three finishes at the 2002 World Cup and four top-three finishes at the 2003 World Championships.
3. France's Gentil giant
A three-time World Cup and eight-time French champion, Pascal Gentil enters Athens in search of his first Olympic gold medal. Gentil claimed the bronze at the Sydney Games in the heavyweight division.
4. Korea, Korea
As the birthplace of taekwondo, South Korea lived up to its legacy, winning gold in three of the four weight classes it competed in at the Sydney Games. The only exception: a silver medal in the featherweight class when Sin Joon-Sik lost to American Steven Lopez in the final. South Korea continues to dominate the sport, winning seven titles at the World Cup and eight gold medals at the 2003 World Championships. In Athens, the Koreans will be looking for a gold-medal sweep in the four weight classes they enter.
5. Hometown favorites
Greece's Michail Mouroutsos won gold at the 2000 Sydney Games in the men's Olympic flyweight (58kg/128 lbs) division, and the 2004 host nation hopes to increase the medal production at its own Games. Mouroutsos returns to defend his crown. Also to watch: Areti Athanasopoulou, who was eliminated in the preliminaries of the Olympic featherweight (57kg/126 lbs) division in Sydney, but won the 2003 world title in the non-Olympic 59kg (130 lbs) event.
 Adam Pretty/Getty Images Steven Lopez celebrates winning the 2000 Olympic taekwondo featherweight title. |
American Steven Lopez won gold in the featherweight division at the 2000 Olympics. Now he is eyeing his second Olympic title, but in a different weight class -- welterweight. Lopez mastered the heavier weight class as well, winning the 2003 World Championship. After securing his return trip to the Games on June 5 when he beat Tony Graf at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Lopez enters Athens in position to be a two-time Olympic champion.
 Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images Iran's Hadi Saeibonekohal flies at South Korea's Sin Joon-Sik. |
After winning just one medal at the 2000 Sydney Games (a featherweight bronze by Hadi Saeibonehkohal), Iran has had a stronger presence at international competitions. The country tallied six top-three finishes at the 2002 World Cup and four top-three finishes at the 2003 World Championships.
 Robert Cianflone/Getty Images France's Pascal Gentil kicks Great Britain's Colin Davey. |
A three-time World Cup and eight-time French champion, Pascal Gentil enters Athens in search of his first Olympic gold medal. Gentil claimed the bronze at the Sydney Games in the heavyweight division.
 Adam Pretty/Getty Images Steven Lopez knocks down his opponent at the 2000 Olympics. |
As the birthplace of taekwondo, South Korea lived up to its legacy, winning gold in three of the four weight classes it competed in at the Sydney Games. The only exception: a silver medal in the featherweight class when Sin Joon-Sik lost to American Steven Lopez in the final. South Korea continues to dominate the sport, winning seven titles at the World Cup and eight gold medals at the 2003 World Championships. In Athens, the Koreans will be looking for a gold-medal sweep in the four weight classes they enter.
 Shaun Botterill/Getty Images Greece's Michail Mouroutsos was the youngest gold-medal winner at the Sydney Games. |
Greece's Michail Mouroutsos won gold at the 2000 Sydney Games in the men's Olympic flyweight (58kg/128 lbs) division, and the 2004 host nation hopes to increase the medal production at its own Games. Mouroutsos returns to defend his crown. Also to watch: Areti Athanasopoulou, who was eliminated in the preliminaries of the Olympic featherweight (57kg/126 lbs) division in Sydney, but won the 2003 world title in the non-Olympic 59kg (130 lbs) event.