London 2012 Olympic Games: Taekwondo

Watch the gripping taekwondo competition during the London 2012 Olympic Games at ExCeL London.

Taekwondo at London 2012

Don't miss the taekwondo competition during London 2012; it's one of two martial arts events at the 2012 Olympic Games, the other being Judo.

A test of discipline, strength and tactical awareness, taekwondo is a fascinating sport to watch, as competitors look for every chance to exploit their opponent's weaknesses.

The discipline only became a fixture in the Olympic schedule in 2000, but it is a widely practiced sport, particularly in Asia.

Men and women compete in four separate weight classes (flyweight, lightweight, middleweight and heavyweight), and the competition is judged on points for landing kicks in specific areas on the opponent.

Taekwondo at the Olympic Games

South Korea, traditionally one of the most dominant nations in the sport, won the most Taekwondo medals at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, notching up four gold medals.

The spread of medals shows the sport's worldwide popularity, with competitors from countries in Asia, North America, South America and Europe all having stood on the podium.

Among the medal wins was a bronze for Afghanistan's Rohullah Nikpai, which was the country's only medal at the 2008 Games.