Logan Campbell (taekwondo)

Logan Campbell (born 7 June 1986, in Auckland[1]) is a New Zealand taekwondo practitioner who competed at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2012 London Olympics.

Logan Campbell
Personal information
Born7 June 1986 (1986-06-07) (age 34)
Auckland, New Zealand
Websitewww.logancampbell.co.nz

Campbell was first attracted to taekwondo as a child after watching The Karate Kid but initially struggled at the sport.[2] He kept at it and won his first international tournament at the age of 13.[2] He qualified for the 2005 Taekwondo World Championships and in 2006 won the WTF-Oceania Championships coming back from being down 3-0 in the final.[3][4] In order to take part internationally he was funded by his parents but shortly before the 2008 Olympics did manage to get some sponsorship.[2]

Campbell qualified for the Olympics after winning the Featherweight (under 68 kg) category at the 2007 Oceania Qualification Tournament and won the Korean Open in July 2008.[2] He broke his arm seven weeks before the Olympics, but it healed in time for him to participate.[5] However he was drawn against the 2007 World Champion Sung Yu-chi in the first round,[6] and lost to him 4-0.[7]

In July 2009 Campbell and his business partner, opened a brothel[8][9] in Auckland so he could finance his training towards his aim of competing at the 2012 Olympics in London, England.[8] His 2008 Olympic campaign had cost $150,000 and Campbell hoped to raise the $300,000 that he estimated he would need for the 2012 Olympics.[10] Prostitution in registered brothels is legal in New Zealand and Campbell described what he was opening as a high class escort agency.[10] He was backed by his parents who had previously funded his Taekwondo career, with his father having taken two jobs to fund Campbell's international competition.[10] Campbell planned to take 2 years off from taekwondo in order to work full-time before returning to training in 2011; however it was reported that his choice of business might count against him in being selected for the 2012 Olympics.[11]

At the 2012 Games he was knocked out in his first fight 6-10 by Hryhorii Husarov.

References
  1. "Logan Campbell". New Zealand Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on 20 October 2008. Retrieved 12 July 2009.
  2. "Taekwondo: Campbell's fighting chance". The New Zealand Herald. 18 July 2008. Retrieved 12 July 2009.
  3. "NZ Taekwondo Team Selected". SportsWeb. 30 January 2005. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 12 July 2009.
  4. "Martial arts: Fighters survive bad start to sweep golds". The New Zealand Herald. 28 August 2006. Retrieved 12 July 2009.
  5. "Cheong wins before falling to favourite". Stuff.co.nz. 21 August 2008. Retrieved 12 July 2009.
  6. "Taekwondo: NZ trio done no favours by draw". The New Zealand Herald. 20 August 2008. Retrieved 12 July 2009.
  7. "Pint-sized Cheong makes history on drab day". The New Zealand Herald. 21 August 2008. Retrieved 12 July 2009.
  8. "Kiwi opens brothel to fund campaign". The New Zealand Herald. 12 July 2009. Retrieved 12 July 2009.
  9. "Logan Campbell". Logan Campbell. Retrieved 12 July 2009.
  10. Barrowclough, Anne (12 July 2009). "NZ athlete Logan Campbell funds 2012 Olympic bid with brothel". The Times. London. Retrieved 12 July 2009.
  11. "Olympic hopeful opens NZ brothel". BBC News Online. 12 July 2009. Retrieved 12 July 2009.
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