Daily Times

Buoyed by their program overhaul and big international results, Australia’s taekwondo team are talking up their Paris Olympic medal chances.

Australia’s two taekwondo medals were at the Sydney 2000 Games, where the sport made its Olympic debut. Lauren Burns famously won gold and Daniel Trenton secured silver. There have been no podium finishes since and none of the four team members made it past the first round in Tokyo.

The post-Tokyo review of the national taekwondo program has paid off, with Leon Sejranovic winning bronze in the 80kg class at last year’s world championships. It was Australia’s first medal at the worlds for a decade, while Bailey Lewis (58kg) has also won two men’s grand prix medals. Stacey Hymer, who will compete at her second Olympics, said the difference between the Tokyo and Paris preparations had been profound. “This is best team that we’re sending to an Olympic Games for quite a long time,” she said.