OLYMPIC TAEKWONDO PLAYERS

CHU MU YEN: MALE OLYMPIC FLY: GOLD

CHINESE TAIPEI

Name: Chu Mu Yen
Age: 22
Height: 1.73 m / 5'8"                                                                                                

Grade:3rdan                                                                                                                                   
Weight: Olympic Fly
Titles:
1998 Junior World Championships SILVER
1999 East Asian Games BRONZE
2000 Taekwondo World Cup SILVER
2001 Taekwondo World Cup GOLD
2001 Taekwondo World Championships SILVER
2002 World Taekwondo University Championships SILVER
2002 Asian Games SILVER
2003 Universiade GOLD
2003 World Taekwondo Championships GOLD
2003 World Taekwondo Olympic Qualification Tournament GOLD
2004 Athens Olympic Games GOLD

Chu Mu Yen is one of the most talented Taekwondo players around. At such a young age and with countless major championship medals under his belt he is seen as one of the top five players in Fin weight in the World and now of course one of the top five Fly weight players in the World. Amazingly, he won his first World Championships Gold medal in the Flyweight category destroying all opposition. Many were eager to see how he performed in the 2004 Athens Olympic Games as he secured his place by winning Gold in the World Qualifiers. He seemed to be plagued by bad luck prior to 2002, in the sense that every time he got to a final in Fin weight he lost to a stronger player and as his record shows he has only won one Fin weight Gold in 2001. With the 2003 Universidad, 2003 World Taekwondo Championships and the 2004 Olympic Games Gold medals around his neck he has proved to be one of the most successful flyweights of our time, with plenty more to come in the future! 

OSCAR FRANCISCO SALAZAR BLANCO: MALE OLYMPIC FLY: SILVER

MEXICO

Name: Oscar Francisco Salazar Blanco
Age: 26
Height: 1.75 m / 5'9"
Grade: 3rd Dan
Weight: Olympic Fly
Titles:
1996 Pan American Taekwondo Championships GOLD
1997 World Taekwondo Championships BRONZE
1998 Pan American Taekwondo Championships GOLD
1999 Pan American Games GOLD
2000 World Taekwondo Cup SILVER
2003 Pan American Games SILVER
2004 Pan American Olympic Qualification Tournament GOLD
2004 Athens Olympic Games SILVER

Brother to the famous Iridia Salazar Blanco and despite his medal count, until he won silver at the 2004 Olympic Games, Oscar was never regarded as a well-known player. He has been competing since 1996 when he won his first gold medal at the Pan American Taekwondo Championships. At the age of 26 he still has a couple of years left on the competition circuit and with an Olympic silver medal around his neck who knows what he will be aiming for at the 2005 World Championships. Oscar is unique in that he changes weight quite frequently, moving in between Fly and Bantam weight. His preparations for the Olympics couldnt have been better as he was seen competing around the countless World Opens for months. He definitely still has some more medals to win yet!