The world’s finest Taekwondo athletes will descend on Gaudalajara, Mexico, this week for the 25th edition of the World Taekwondo Championships.
Sixteen athletes will fly the flag for Australia at the Championships, which will take place from November 13-20, after qualifying for team selection on the Gold Coast back in August.
Ahead of the big event, here is the Aussies squad chasing the silverware in Mexico.
Juliet Lahood, Women’s -46kg
Hometown: Sydney, NSW
Coach & Club: Ali Khalil / Global Martial Arts
Lahood started 2022 with gold at the Australian Taekwondo National Championships in Brisbane. She delivered further strong performances internationally, claiming silver medals at the Croatian Open, WT President's Cup (Oceania) and Oceania Championships.
Saffron Tambyrajah, Women’s -49kg
Hometown: Perth, WA
Coach & Club: Ryan Carneli / Notorious Martial Arts
Tambyrajah has delivered strong performances around the world in 2022, capturing bronze medals at the Belgian Open and Korean Open, before repeating this success at continental events, with gold at the WT President’s Cup (Oceania) and the Oceania Championships.
Tamzin Chistoffel, Women’s -53kg
Hometown: Ipswich, QLD
Coach & Club: Tom Hur / ONE Taekwondo
Christoffel opened the year with gold at the Australian Taekwondo National Championships in Brisbane. She also won gold at the Australian World Championships Selection Event and is hoping to build on past junior international experience that saw her capture bronze medals in the Dutch Open and Serbian Open.
Stacey Hymer, Women’s -57kg
Hometown: Coburg, VIC
Coach & Club: Ryan Carneli / Notorious Martial Arts
Fresh from reaching the Round of 16 (and finishing 11th) at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Hymer kicked off 2022 with gold at the Australian Taekwondo National Championships. She’s since captured gold at both the Oceania Championships and WT President’s Cup (Oceania).
Natasha Galazoula, Women’s -62kg
Hometown: Camberwell, VIC
Coach & Club: Alf Dell’Orso / Melbourne Taekwondo Centre
Galazoula’s season began in Brisbane with gold at the Australian Taekwondo National Championships. She later captured gold at the Australian World Championships Selection Event, and is hoping to build on previous international junior success, having won bronze medals at the European Club Championships and Israel Open.
Sofia Typou, Women’s -67kg
Hometown: Reservoir, VIC
Coach & Club: Jerry Moraitis / Hall’s Taekwondo
Typou’s step up to the seniors in 2022 began with a bronze at the Australian Taekwondo National Championships and gold at the Australian World Championships Selection Event. She’s hoping to build on international success as a junior, which included silver medals at the Oceania Championships and New Zealand Open.
Katja Medd, Women’s -73kg
Hometown: Elsternwick, VIC
Coach & Club: Alf Dell’Orso / Melbourne Taekwondo Centre
Medd has also enjoyed a rapid rise at senior level, capturing silver at the Australian National Championships earlier this year, then gold at the Australian World Championships Selection Event. She has previously won junior medals at the US Open and the WT President’s Cup (Oceania).
Reba Stewart, Women’s +73kg
DOB: 20/05/2001
Hometown: Deer Park, VIC
Coach & Club: Jerry Moraitis / Hall’s Taekwondo
Another Tokyo 2020 Olympian, Stewart has competed across the globe in 2022, winning gold at both the Oceania Championships and WT President’s Cup (Oceania). She also made the Round of 32 at the Paris Grand Prix and the Round of 16 at the Manchester Grand Prix.
Ben Camua, Men’s -54kg
Hometown: Mt Druitt, NSW
Coach & Club: Peter Vass / Prodigy Martial Arts
Camua started the year strong, with gold at the Australian Taekwondo National Championships and the Australian World Championships Selection Event. An impressive run in Tahiti also earned him silver at the Oceania Championships and gold at the Tahiti Open.
Bailey Lewis, Men’s -58kg
Hometown: Werribee, VIC
Coach & Club: Frank De Pasquale / City West Taekwondo
Lewis kicked off 2022 with gold at the Australian Taekwondo National Championships, before putting together several strong runs overseas. He won bronze at the Paris Grand Prix and the Korean Open, before clinching gold at the Oceania Championships and the WT President’s Cup (Oceania).
Fred Pace, Men’s -63kg
Hometown: Yarraville, VIC
Coach & Club: Arash Mozhdeh / Mozhdeh Martial Arts
Pace has enjoyed success at home and abroad in 2022, capturing silver medals at the Australian Taekwondo National Championships and the WT President’s Cup (Oceania). He also won gold at the Australian World Championships Selection Event.
Tom Afonczenko, Men’s -68kg
Hometown: Romsey, VIC
Coach & Club: Ryan Carneli / Notorious Martial Arts
One of the most experienced members of the Australian team, Afonczenko had a successful spell in Tahiti this year, with gold at the Oceania Championships and bronze at the WT President’s Cup (Oceania). He also won gold at the Australian World Championships Selection Event.
Leon Sejranovic, Men’s -74kg
Hometown: Flemington, VIC
Coach & Club: Ryan Carneli / Notorious Martial Arts
After capturing gold at the Australian Taekwondo National Championships, Sejranovic has enjoyed consistent success abroad, starting with a bronze medal at the Belgian Open, then gold at the Oceania Championships and silver at the WT President’s Cup (Oceania).
Yosafe Zakoulouta, Men’s -80kg
Hometown: Melbourne, VIC
Coach & Club: Ryan Carneli / Notorious Martial Arts
After numerous injury setbacks, Zakoulouta came back strong in 2022, with gold at the Australian World Championships Selection Event. He is now hoping to return to the form that previously saw him capture silver at the Oceania Championships, and bronze at the WT President’s Cup (Oceania) and Australian Open.
Kyle Nolan, Men’s +80kg
Hometown: Woodvale, WA
Coach & Club: Premier Martial Arts Academy
Nolan has had a strong 2022 season at national level, claiming gold at the Australian World Championships Selection Event and silver at the Australian Oceania Championships Selection Event. He has previously won a bronze medal at the Canadian Open.
Arash Mozhdeh, Men’s -87kg
Hometown: Melbourne, VIC
Club: Mozhdeh Martial Arts
Mozhdeh has picked medals all over the map in 2022, from Australia to Central America and Europe. This has included bronze medals at the Costa Rica Open and Riga Open as well as gold in the Australian World Championships Selection Event.
The team is supported by the following staff:
Who are the Aussies fighting?
You can find the draw for each weight division on World Taekwondo’s website.
How long are the fights?
Best of 3 system [2 minutes x 2 (3) rounds with 1 minute break]
Where can I watch them?
You can tune in to the Championships via World Taekwondo’s Live Stream on Youtube.
When can I watch them?
The official tournament timetable can be found here.
Where can I find the results?
If you missed any of the fights, you can find the official results here.
