Last night, I watched the Men's 58 KG Taekwondo final of the 2024 Paris Olympics—the same weight class I competed in during the 1988 Olympics but lost in the first round. Yes, I was that skinny back then! 😅
A few fun facts you might not know:
1. In 1988 when I was competing in the Olympics, Taekwondo was just a demonstration sport. It took 12 more years for it to become an official Olympic event at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
2. Many factors determine if and when a demonstration sport becomes official, including equal opportunities for both genders, inclusivity, a trial period to gauge interest, and—most importantly—its "appeal and marketability," meaning it needs to attract enough live audience and strong viewership.
3. While Taekwondo originated in Korea, they don't always win. In fact, Korea didn’t win any gold medals in Taekwondo at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Even last night’s 58 KG match marked the first time Korea won gold medal in this weight category.
This got me thinking about the parallels between sports and innovation again. Innovation, much like Olympic sports, can come from anywhere, and leadership can also emerge from anywhere, regardless of where something originates and who used to dominate. Looking at the big picture and in the long run, whether in sports or innovation, it needs to be global, inclusive, and beneficial to the majority. And in the end, the market has the final say. Do you agree?
#Paris2024 #Olympics #Innovation #Globalization #Sports
Secretary General - Africa Esports Development Federation// Co-Founder - Mobiele // International Sports and Esports Consultant
1moCongrats Jerry Ling and Chong Geng Ng on this feat. Cheers to more wins in coming months. #Esports #VirtualTaekwondo