About The Sport

A Korean form of martial art, which has been the dominant form of martial art in that country since 1955

Each of the eight weight categories involves a single elimination tournament with a double repechage for the bronze medal contest. This means that, for an athlete to make it to the gold medal match, he or she must have progressed through the preliminary rounds undefeated; whereas the bronze medal match will be between two players who have each lost one contest.

Contestants wear different coloured ‘dobock’ or uniforms – ch’ong (blue) and hong (red) – combat each other using punching and kicking techniques. All vulnerable parts of the body are covered by protective equipment, including headgear, trunk protector, forearm and shin guards and a groin guard. Hits below the abdomen are forbidden.