As the 2012 London Olympic Games is less than one year away, taekwondo athletes who dream of an Olympic medal go to all lengths to make their dream come true.

A total of 128 athletes will compete for top honors at the taekwondo competition of the 2012 London Olympic Games, and 24 athletes from 15 countries were qualified at the 2011 WTF World Qualification Tournament which was held at Baku, Azerbaijan, on June 30 to July 3, 2011.

Four spots will be decided on through the tripartite consultation among the IOC, the ANOC and the WTF, which are known as "wild cards," while the host country of Great Britain will secure four spots automatically.

All Olympic hopefuls will compete to gain one out of remaining 96 spots at the continental qualification tournaments.

The WTF Newsletter meets our taekwondo stars through our special editions.

The young Australian who dreams of an Olympic medal has taken one step closer toward his dream.

Safwan KHALIL won the gold medal in Men's 58kg after brushing off the tough challenge of Iranian opponent, Hadi, MOSTEAN LORON, in the 4^th, or so called sudden death, round, with a head-shot on August 21, 2011 at the 2011 Shenzhen Summer Universiade.

The young Australian celebrated his hard-won victory by dancing joyously on the court, attracting applause from the spectators who jam-packed the stadium.

Khalil is feeling more confident by this victory and believes that he has come closer toward his Olympic dream. He is an athlete driven by the spirit of tenacity. He had been defeated at the quarter-final of the WTF World Qualification Tournament for the 2012 London Olympic Games which was held at Baku, Azerbaijan, on June 29 to July 4, 2011. Not overwhelmed by the defeat, Khalil kept training and now has won a gold medal here at Shenzhen, in just a little over one month after Baku.

Safwan Khalil will participate in the Oceania Continental Qualification Tournament for the 2012 London Olympic Games in Noumea, New Caledonia, on September 11, 2011.

Q: Congratulations!

A: Thank you! I am so glad.

Q: You participated in Baku Qualification Tournament but unfortunately didn't make it. Will you participate in the Continental Qualification Tournament to be held next month in New Caledonia?

A: Sure, I will. I hope to be qualified there. At Baku, I was beat by a Korean athlete at the quarter-final. But I couldn't stop there for my Olympic dream.

Q: Isn't it difficult to balance your life as student and taekwondo athlete?

A: Yes, it is. But my university in Sydney takes special care of me and allows much leeway to do both, study and taekwondo.

Q: Can you tell me when you started taekwondo and what motivated to do it?

A: I started taekwondo when I was 13 years old at my parents' recommendation. Soon I found that I really liked "fighting".

Q: Starting at 13 years old.. you started not that early. You must have trained very hard to reach such a high level.

A: Yes, I have been training very hard. For the World Qualification Tournament and Universiade, I have trained morning and evening, 6 days per week. It is hard but I love it!

For any inquiry for further information on this article, please contact us at newsletter@wtf.org.

Meet Our Stars!

One year has passed after the inaugural edition of the 2010 Youth Olympic Games was held in Singapore. The young taekwondo athletes of the 2010 YOG have advanced their taekwondo career onto the senior stage and made remarkable achievements in major international tournaments.

Anastasia VALUEVA (Women-46Kg), Russia

The young athlete who had won a gold medal in women's under 44kg division at 2010 Singapore Youth Olympic Games made a successful debut at the senior international competition. She defeated Rukiye YILDIRIM of Turkey, who ranks 1st in the WTF Ranking as of August 2011, in a sudden death and grabbed the gold medal in women's under 46kg weight division at the 2011 Shenzhen Summer Universiade on August 20, 2011. 

We met our young YOG rising star at Shenzhen. 

Q: Congratulations!

A: Thank you! I am so happy.

Q: Today, you won the gold medal and made a successful debut at the senior international competition. Do you find junior competition is different from senior tournament?

A: Frankly speaking, not that much. I didn't feel that today's competition was more difficult than junior's

Q: After the 2010 Youth Olympic Games, do you see any change in your life?

A: Yes, very much. I feel I have become stronger physically and mentally. I think I learned a lot from the 2010 YOG experience.

Q. How do you balance your school and taekwondo?

A: It is difficult to do both, study and taekwondo. I have been practicing taekwondo for nine years. But I make sure that I can train taekwondo at least two hours per day.

Q: What is your goal or dream in your taekwondo career?

 A: I would like to participate and win a medal in Olympic Games, if possible, at the upcoming 2012 Olympics. But it is not yet clear if I can go there. I also want to compete and win a medal at 2013 Summer Universiade which will be held in Kazan, Russia!

For any inquiry for further information on this article, please contact us at newsletter@wtf.org.