Mahama Cho (born 16 August 1989) is a taekwondo practitioner who competes in the +87 kg category. Born in the Ivory Coast, he has represented both Great Britain and France in the sport.[3]
 Cho at the 2016 Olympics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | 16 August 1989 (age 35) Ivory Coast | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 192 cm (6 ft 4 in)[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 100 kg (220 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Taekwondo | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coached by | Paul Green[2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| Updated on 19 September 2019 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Early life and personal life
editAbdoufata Cho Mahama was raised by his grandmother in the Ivory Coast; his father was abroad and his mother was unable to care for him.[4] A practising Muslim, he attended an Arabic school in Abidjan.[4] As a child, Cho was bullied.[4]
Cho moved to London at the age of eight, at the request of his father.[4] Cho's father Zakaia was a former African taekwondo champion who was teaching the sport there whilst also driving taxis.[4] When he arrived in England, staying first in Kennington and then in Stockwell, Cho was unable to speak any English.[4] He lived with his father's new family, forming a particularly close friendship with his step-brother David.[4]
In 2014, he became engaged to French heptathlete Antoinette Nana Djimou.[4] but their relationship ended in 2017.
He finally married Konnie Touré, an Ivorian radio and TV presenter, producer, actress, singer, screenwriter and business manager in 2023, in Abidjan.
Football career
editCho played semi-professionally for Erith Town.[4] He trialled with Dagenham and Redbridge at the age of 16.[4] He gave up his football career at the age of 17 to focus on taekwondo.[4]
Taekwondo career
editHe joined the British taekwondo squad at the age of 17.[4] He was injured at the 2011 World Championships.[4] After that event, he moved to Paris to study.[4] He joined the French taekwondo squad, winning gold at 2013 Dutch and USA Opens.[4]
After returning to compete for Britain, at the World Taekwondo Grand Prix he won a gold medal in 2013,[5] and a silver medal in 2014.[6] In January 2016 he secured Britain their fourth and final qualifying place for the 2016 Summer Olympics.[7]
Results
edit2017
World Taekwondo Championships in Muju, South Korea
Moldova International Open, in Chișinău, Moldova
2016
5th 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2015
- President's Cup, in Hamburg, Germany
- European Olympic Qualification Tournament, in Istanbul, Turkey
- Polish International Open, in Warsaw, Poland
- US Open, in Las Vegas, United States
Serbia International Open, in Belgrad, Serbia- Grand Prix, in Moscow, Russia
2014
- Paris International Open, in Paris, France
- Commonwealth Championships in Edinburgh, Scotland
- Swiss International Open
- Bahrain International Open, Bahrain
- Grand Prix Series in Astana, Kazakhstan
- Luxor International Open, in Luxor, Egypt
- Fujairah International Open, in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates
- Grand Prix, in Suzhou, China
2013
- Grand Prix Final in Manchester, England
- German International Open, in Hamburg, Germany
- Dutch International Open, in Eindhoven, Nederlands
- Paris International Open, in Paris, France
- Spanish International Open, in Alicante, Spain
- US Open, in Las Vegas, United States
2012
References
edit- ^ Mahama Cho Archived 22 September 2016 at the Wayback Machine. rio2016.com
- ^ Mahama Cho. nbcolympics.com
- ^ "Mahama Cho". GB Taekwondo. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Nick Hope (23 October 2014). "Mahama Cho: How taekwondo saved me from a life of bullying". BBC. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
- ^ Nick Hope (13 December 2013). "World Taekwondo Grand Prix: GB's Mahama Cho wins gold". BBC. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
- ^ "World Grand Prix: Mahama Cho claims GB's first medal". BBC. 29 August 2014. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
- ^ "Rio 2016: Mahama Cho earns GB an Olympic place in +80kg category". BBC. 17 January 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
External links
edit- Mahama Cho at TaekwondoData.com
- Mahama Cho at Olympedia
- Mahama Cho at Team GB
