Mahama Cho

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 at the sport.[3]

Mahama Cho
Cho at the 2016 Olympics
Personal information
Born16 August 1989 (1989-08-16) (age 31)
Ivory Coast
Height192 cm (6 ft 4 in)[1]
Weight100 kg (220 lb)
Sport
SportTaekwondo
Coached byPaul Green[2]
Medal record
Representing  Great Britain
Men's taekwondo
World Championships
2017 Muju +87 kg
Grand Prix
2013 Manchester+80 kg
2017 Rabat+80 kg
2014 Astana+80 kg
2014 Suzhou+80 kg
2014 Moscow+80 kg
2017 London+80 kg
2018 Taoyuan+80 kg
2019 Rome+80 kg
Updated on 19 September 2019.

Early life and personal life

Abdoufata 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 late 2017.

Football career

Cho 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

He 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 the 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

2017

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 United Arab Emirats
  • 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, England

2012

  • Israel International Open, in Tel-Aviv, Israel
  • Spanish International Open, in Alicante, Spain
  • Dutch International Open, in Eindhoven, Nederlands

References
  1. Mahama Cho. rio2016.com
  2. Mahama Cho. nbcolympics.com
  3. "Mahama Cho". GB Taekwondo. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
  4. Nick Hope (23 October 2014). "Mahama Cho: How taekwondo saved me from a life of bullying". BBC. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
  5. Nick Hope (13 December 2013). "World Taekwondo Grand Prix: GB's Mahama Cho wins gold". BBC. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
  6. "World Grand Prix: Mahama Cho claims GB's first medal". BBC. 29 August 2014. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
  7. "Rio 2016: Mahama Cho earns GB an Olympic place in +80kg category". BBC. 17 January 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
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