Pan American Taekwondo Qualifier 2024 preview and weight categories for the regional qualifier in Santo Domingo
Taekwondo athletes will head to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on 9 April and 10 April to help decide the final quotas for Olympic Games Paris 2024. Athletes from the Pan-American countries, including North America, South America, Central America and the Caribbean, will compete for sixteen quotas.
This will be the last opportunity for U.S. taekwondo athletes to secure a spot for Paris 2024. The U.S. has taken part in taekwondo at every Olympics since Sydney 2000, winning 10 medals, including three gold.
As National Olympic Committees have the exclusive authority for the representation of their respective countries at the Olympic Games, athletes' participation at the Paris Games depends on their NOC selecting them to represent their delegation at Paris 2024.
• Click here to see the official qualification system for each sport.
How will quotas be decided at the Pan American Taekwondo Qualifier 2024?
Of the 128 quotas for taekwondo at Paris 2024, 16 will be from this qualifier. The group will be made up of eight men and eight women, comprised of the two finalists from each weight class. Like in wrestling and boxing qualifiers, the finalists will obtain quotas and not face off.
What are the weight classes for Olympic taekwondo competition in Paris 2024?
Men's weight classes
-58kg
-68kg
-80kg
+80kg
Women's weight classes
-49kg
-57kg
-67kg
+67kg
For each of the eight weight classes, a maximum of 16 athletes will compete. However, this figure may increase if additional athletes are selected for the Refugee Olympic Team.
Which Americans have obtained quotas for Paris 2024?
One American taekwondo athlete has already secured a quota for Paris 2024. C.J. Nickolas obtained a quota in January due to his world ranking. He was ranked second in the world, and no other American in his weight division was in the top 20. Nickolas won silver at the world championships in 2023, making him the first American man to win a world medal since 2009.