Guide Note

Taekwondo is one of 28 sports in the Summer Olympics.¹ At the 2008 Summer Olympics, athletes competed for eight sets of medals, four men's and four women's. In Beijing, taekwondo contests were held from August 20 to August 23, 2008, at the Beijing Science and Technology University Gymnasium.

South Korea earned the most medals, taking home four. The U.S. Olympic taekwondo team earned three, while Mexico, China, Turkey, Chinese Taipei and Croatia each won two medals.²

Fast Facts

1. 2008 Olympics: Competitions held from August 20 to August 23
2. Introduced to Olympics in 1988 as an exhibition sport³
3. 2000: First year taekwondo an Olympic medal sport³
4. Four men's and four women's events
5. Competitions organized by weight classes
6. Governed by World Taekwondo Federation

A Korean martial art noted for its kick movements, taekwondo appeared as an exhibition sport at the 1988 and 1992 Summer Olympic Games. At the 1994 International Olympic Committee session, taekwondo was accepted as a medal sport, starting in 2000.³

• Men's flyweight: <58 kg (<128 lbs)⁴
• Men's lightweight: 58-68 kg (128-150 lbs)⁴
• Men's middleweight: 68-80 kg (150-176 lbs)⁴
• Men's heavyweight: >80 lg (>176 lbs)⁴
• Women's flyweight: <49 kg (<108 lbs)⁴
• Women's lightweight: 49-57 kg (108-126 lbs)⁴
• Women's middleweight: 57-67 kg (126-148 lbs)⁴
• Women's heavyweight: >67 kg (>148 lbs.)⁴

Summer Olympics 2008 | US Olympic Taekwondo 2008 | Tae Kwon Do | Olympics | Summer Olympics