Beijing Olympic Games

Updated: 2008-08-22 00:32:52

(BEIJING, August 21) — The Men’s -80kg and Women’s -67kg will be staged on Friday, the third day of the Beijing Olympic Taekwondo competition.

Men’s -80kg

Steven Lopez of the United States, who has won two Olympic champion titles and four consecutive world championships titles at the World Taekwondo Championships, is undoubtedly the most powerful gold contender of this weight class.

But Lopez will face a strong title challenge from Iranian veteran Hadi Saei, who has claimed seven world champion titles, including the most recent ones earned at the Athens 2004 and the 2005 Madrid Taekwondo world championships.

Bahri Tanrikulu of Turkey, runner-up at Athens 2004 and gold medallist of the 2001 and 2007 world championships, is also a medal potential

Women’s -67kg

As the gold medallist at the world championships in 2005 and 2007, Hwang Kyung-seon of the Republic of Korea is regarded as the most competitive contender for gold.

Hwang ’s major rival is the French Taekwondo fighter Gwladys Patience Epangue, who finished second to Hwang at the world championships in 2005 and 2007.

German Taekwondo athlete Helena Fromm is a medal also hopeful. She finished third at the 2007world championships, and first at the 2008 European championships.