Since I began practicing Taekwondo, it has been an integral part of my life. My journey started in Sydney, where I took up Taekwondo for fun, influenced by my Korean heritage, as it is very common for everyone to try Taekwondo at least once in their life. As I trained and progressed through higher belt ranks, my interest in this martial art deepened.

When I moved to Korea in first grade, I joined a small Taekwondo club in a town. At that time, I didn’t see the sporting side of Taekwondo; it was just a way of life, a martial art, and a fun activity. I never considered its competitive aspect. However, upon returning to Australia in sixth grade, I started training for sparring at a club where I discovered the sporting side of Taekwondo and fell in love with it. I trained diligently almost every day, leading me to compete in my first competition, the Brisbane Open, where I lost by a significant margin. From that moment, I decided to train harder and give it my all, which led to winning national championships and participating in several international competitions. My hard work paid off, and I made the Australian team for the Junior World Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria, in 2022.

I am honoured to be selected again to compete in the 2024 Junior World Championships in South Korea. My goal in this sport is to compete in and win the Olympics.

I am currently in grade 11, soon to be in year 12. Being a student-athlete, balancing competitions and training while studying is challenging. It is also tough for my family financially, as there is limited funding for this sport in Australia. Any support would be invaluable in helping me reach my goals.

Thank you very much for your time,

Ryan Yoo