American Competitors in Taekwondo in the 2012 Olympics

type='html'>

2012 Olympic's American Taekwondo TeamMany people are surprised to learn that taekwondo is a major event in the Summer Olympics. In the Olympic Games, each country is able to send a total of four competitors to compete in the taekwondo event; two men, and two women.  The tournaments are divided into different weight classes. As with any other Olympic event, each competitor is scored by judges, and receives points, and point deductions dependent upon the rules of the game. A loss in one tournament does not automatically disqualify a contender.

Some of the rules have changed for this year’s Olympic Games in taekwondo. A loss in the first game will allow still a competitor to compete again for the chance to earn a bronze metal.  A total of two bronze metals are awarded for each weight class in the Olympic Games. This year’s Olympic events will be exciting for the four Americans who have qualified to take part. Each of the four has trained very hard, and is aiming for gold!

Here is America’s 2012 Olympic Taekwondo team:
Steven Lopez is one of many American competitors in this year’s 2012 Olympics in London. Lopez is a five time world record holder, and at age 33, is one of the oldest competitors in this year’s Olympic Games. Lopez’s brother Jean is his coach, and his sister, Diana is also competing in this year’s Olympics. 

Diana Lopez, now 28 years old, won a bronze medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics in taekwondo. In 2005, she and her two brothers, Steven and Mark became the first three siblings ever to win a world championship in the same event in taekwondo. Lopez has also received the USA Taekwondo Female Athlete of the Year award three times, in 2005, 2006, and in 2008.

Paige McPherson began taekwondo training at the age of seven. McPherson has already won three bronze medals in the junior Olympics from 2003-2004. Now at the age of 21, McPherson is the youngest of the four competitors. No doubt McPherson is living out her dream as one of the four Americans competing in the 2012 summer Olympics for taekwondo.

Terrence Jennings, age 24, is a first time Olympian competitor in the 2012 summer Olympics. Jennings has had many accomplishments. Jennings was the USA Taekwondo Male Athlete of the Year in 2011. Jennings won two bronze medals in the Pan American Games, and has won two taekwondo titles since 2003.  


If you are interested in taking taekwondo lessons in Gilbert or Chandler, Arizona, please contact Sandoval Freestyle Karate and ask about special offers and family discounts.

Crazy Facts About The Olympics

type='html'>

Crazy Facts About The Olympics
Less than a few days in the 2012 Olympics and we have already seen some crazy things – from the parachuting Queen in the opening ceremony through to the ridiculous imagery of four Olympians trying the best to lose and a 16 year old girl comfortably out-swimming her male rivals, London has been host to some bizarre spectacles. Yet, for long time followers of the Olympics, the event has always boasted a history full of peculiarities and odd occurrences,. Here are some of the craziest facts about the Olympics.

Abebe Bikila Didn’t Have Time To Find Trainers

In the Olympic games of Rome in 1960, Abebe Bikila became the first African to win a marathon. That, in and of itself, is not overly peculiar but the preparation he made in advance of the games certainly was. The Ethiopian runner’s admission to the team was so last minute he only joined the team as their plane to Italy was about to leave. 

Needless to say, this left him with very little preparation time and, upon arriving in Rome, was unable to find a decent pair of trainers. As such, Bikila decided to perform the race barefoot and won. Four years later he returned and, despite having his appendix removed just a matter of weeks before the games, repeated the same feat. He was given a reward for his stunning task – a Volkswagen Beetle which, ultimately, he drove into a ditch and became paraplegic. Despite his pledges to win the next marathon whilst in a wheelchair, he died of a cerebral haemorrhage before he had the chance to attempt this Herculean feat..

The Olympics Used To Be Very Boring
The original Olympics back in ancient Greece were not the spectacle they are today. The audience and participants were all men and instead of the wide array of sports we are used to today, there was only one sporting event. Named “The Stadion Race”, the participants had to race across one length of the stadium. This was the sole even for the first fourteen years until the “Two-stade Race” was added – this race was simply running from one side of the stadium to the other and back again. As the events grew older more races were added, varying in length and then including gimmicks such as racing in full armour before, finally, a wider array of activities were added included martial arts, boxing and wrestling.

Disqualified for Drinking Beer
   As drug testing has got more advanced, many athletes have been caught out trying to cheat their way to medals and glory with the use of performance enhancing drugs. Yet, the very first athlete to be disqualified at the games was Hans-Gunnar Lijenwall, the Swedish pentathlete who drank two beers to calm his nerves before taking part in shooting. The result of his actions, which it would be hard pressed to be considered as performance enhacing, was that the entire Swedish team were forced to return their medals.

The Opening Torch Relay Was Invented by Nazi Germany
   Many individuals believe that the Olympic Torch Relay is a tradition which stems from the original games in Ancient Greece. This, however, is not the case – the ceremony was conceived by Nazi party member Carl Diem in 1934 and put to practise when Germany hosted the Olympics in 1936. Found of aesthetic propaganda and poetry of imagery, Hitler commissioned film-director Leni Reifenstahl to shoot a re-enactment of the relay for her movie Olympia. Whilst many look at the torch relay as a tradition based in a universal connection, it was actually conceived as propaganda for one of the most brutal dictatorships of recent history..


Kieron Casey is a fashion writer and a big Olympics fan who regularly blogs for Barratts; he recommends checking out their womens trainers for any budding Olympian of the future.