The 24th edition of the World Taekwondo Championships will bring the event to Great Britain for the first time, in specific to the Manchester Arena for competition in eight men’s and women’s classes.
More than 1,000 athletes are expected, and even though the entry deadline closed more than a month ago, the actual competitors have not been confirmed. But as the seedings are determined by the current world rankings, these are the top competitors expected in each class:
Men
● 54 kg:
1. Moustapha Kama (SEN)
2. Armin Hadipour (IRI) ~ 2017 Worlds silver medalist
3. Adrian Vicente (ESP)
4. Cesar Rodriguez (MEX)
5. Tae-Hun Kim (KOR) ~ 2013-15-17 World Champion
● 58 kg:
1. Tae-Hun Kim (KOR) ~ 2016 Olympic bronze medalist
2. Jesus Tortosa Cabrera (ESP) ~ 2017 Worlds bronze medalist
3. Mikhail Artamonov (RUS) ~ 2017 Worlds silver medalist
4. Carlos Navarro (MEX) ~ 2017 Worlds bronze medalist
5. Farzan Ashourzadeh (IRI) ~ 2015 World Champion (58 kg)
● 63 kg:
1. Lovre Brecic (CRO)
2. Jaouad Achab (BEL) ~ 2015 World Champion
3. Javad Aghayev (AZE)
4. Shuai Zhao (CHN) ~ Defending World Champion
5. Soroush Ahmadi (IRI)
● 68 kg:
1. Dae-Hoon Lee (KOR) ~ Defending World Champion; 2016 Olympic bronze
2. Alexey Denisenko (RUS) ~ 2016 Olympic silver; 2015 Wolds silver medalist
3. Ahmad Abughaush (JOR) ~ 2016 Olympic gold; 2017 Worlds bronze medalist
4. Yu-Jen Huang (TPE) ~ 2017 Worlds silver medalist
5. Javier Perez Polo (ESP)
● 74 kg:
1. Toni Kanaet (CRO)
2. Nikita Rafalovich (UZB) ~ 2015-17 Worlds silver medalist
3. Thomas Rahimi (USA)
4. Maksim Khramtcov (RUS) ~ Defending World Champion
5. Ali Eshkavarian (IRI)
● 80 kg:
1. Cheick Sallah Cisse (CIV) ~ 2016 Olympic Champion
2. Milad Beigi Harchegani (AZE) ~ Defending World Champion; 2016 Olympic bronze
3. Maksim Khramtcov (RUS) ~ 2017 74 kg World Champion
4. Richard Andre Ordemann (NOR)
5. Raul Martinez Garcia (ESP)
● 87 kg:
1. Vladislav Larin (RUS) ~ 2017 Worlds silver medalist; 2015 Worlds bronze medalist
2. Alexander Bachmann (GER) ~ Defending World Champion
3. Bryan Salazar (MEX)
4. Ivan Trajkovic (SLO) ~ 2017 Worlds bronze medalist
5. Smaiyl Diusebay (KAZ)
● +87 kg:
1. Kyo-Don In (KOR) ~ 2017 87 kg Worlds bronze medalist
2. Vladislav Larin (RUS) ~ 2017 87 kg Worlds silver medalist
3. Abdoul Issoufou (CIV) ~ Defending World Champion
4. Radik Isaev (AZE) ~ 2016 Olympic +80 kg Champion
5. Mahama Cho (GBR) ~ 2017 Worlds silver medalist
Women
● 46 kg:
1. Yvette Yong (CAN)
2. Kyriaki Kouttouki (CYP)
3. Dina Pouryounes Langeroudi (NED)
4. Iryna Romoldanova (UKR)
5. Jae-Young Sim (KOR) ~ Defending World Champion
● 49 kg:
1. Panipak Wongpattanakit (THA) ~ 2017 Worlds silver; 2016 Olympic bronze
2. So-Hui Kim (KOR) ~ 2016 Olympic Champion
3. Kristina Tomic (CRO) ~ 2017 Worlds bronze medalist
4. Vanya Stankovic (SRB) ~ Defending World Champion
5. Jae-Young Sim (KOR) ~ 2017 46 kg World Champion
● 53 kg:
1. Tatiana Kodashova (RUS) ~ 2017 Worlds silver medalist
2. Inese Tarvida (LAT) ~ 2017 Worlds bronze medalist
3. Tijana Bogdanovic (SRB) ~ 2016 Olympic 49 kg silver; 2015 Worlds 49 kg bronze
4. Madeline Folgmann (GER)
5. Zeliha Agris (TUR) ~ Defending World Champion
● 57 kg:
1. Jade Jones (GBR) ~ 2016 Olympic Champion; 2017 Worlds bronze medalist
2. Ah-Reum Lee (KOR) ~ Defending World Champion
3. Hatice Ilgun (TUR) ~ 2017 Worlds silver medalist
4. Nikita Glasnovic (CRO) ~ 2017 Worlds bronze medalist
5. Skylar Park (CAN)
● 62 kg:
1. Irem Yaman (TUR)
2. Nadica Bozanic (SRB)
3. Marta Calvo Gomez (ESP)
4. Magda Wiet Henin (FRA)
5. Ruth Gbagi (CIV) ~ Defending World Champion; 2016 Olympic 67 kg bronze
● 67 kg:
1. Nur Tatar Askari (TUR) ~ Defending World Champion; 2016 Olympic bronze
2. Paige McPherson (USA) ~ 2017 Worlds silver; 2015Worlds bronze medalist
3. Lauren Williams (GBR)
4. Matea Jelic (CRO)
5. Hyeri Oh (KOR) ~ 2016 Olympic Champion; 2017 73 kg Worlds silver medalist
● 73 kg:
1. Milica Mandic (SRB) ~ Defending World Champion
2. Hyeri Oh (KOR) ~ 2015 Worlds gold; 2017 Worlds silver; 2016 Olympic 67 kg gold
3. Maria Espinoza (MEX) ~ Defending Worlds silver medalist
4. Madelynn Gorman-Shore (USA)
5. Yanna Schneider (GER)
● +73 kg:
1. Bianca Walkden (GBR) ~ 2015-17 World Champion; 2016 +67 kg bronze
2. Shuyin Zheng (CHN) ~ 2016 Olympic +67 kg gold; 2017 Worlds bronze medalist
3. Aleksandra Kowalczuk (POL)
4. Briseida Acosta (MEX)
5. Nafia Kus (TUR) ~ 2015 Worlds bronze medalist
6. Jackie Galloway (USA) ~ 2017 Worlds silver medalist; 2016 Olympic +67 kg bronze
The World Championships only take place every other year, so Korea’s Tae-Hun Kim will be trying to extend his gold-medal streak to four World Championships over seven years!
The competition will take place from 15-19 May. The top three placewinners get medals and a certificate, but there is no prize money. Look for results here.
