USA TAEKWONDO IS TAKING FOUR ATHLETES TO THE 2024 OLYMPIC GAMES

On April 9^th and 10^th of this week, USA Taekwondo athletes competed in the Dominican Republic with one assignment in mind – Qualify to represent the United States at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France. Athletes Faith Dillon (Female -57KG), Jonathan Healy (Male +80KG) and Kristina Teachout (Female -67KG) dominated the Pan American Qualification Tournament and are officially joining auto-qualified, #2 Olympic Ranked Athlete CJ Nickolas in Paris. Soon, they will showcase their skills on the ultimate global stage.

Over the past four years, USA Taekwondo Head Coach Gareth Brown and Managing Director of High-Performance Paul Green have intently prepared our United States athletes to deliver outstanding performances at the highest levels of competition in the world. Now, the United States is taking a full athlete quota to the 2024 Olympic Games.

Earlier this year, CJ Nickolas was the first U.S. Taekwondo athlete to qualify for the Games. Nickolas’ dynamic game and impressive taekwondo skills earned him #2 Olympic ranking in the Male -80KG division and an auto-qualification to Paris. 

Faith Dillon (F-57KG) now joins Nickolas on this Paris-bound journey. Since joining the United States Academy Team, she has relentlessly followed a training regime and process with the goal of winning at the Olympics.   Dillon had considerable momentum heading to the Pan American Qualifier, winning the silver medal at the Manchester Grand Prix Final back in December. This week in the Dominican Republic, Dillon remained intensely focused and easily qualified the Female -57KG spot for the United States.

Eighteen-year-old Kristina Teachout (F-67KG), USA’s youngest taekwondo Olympian and arguably its fiercest competitor, cannot wait to head to the Olympics.  Over the course of the year, Teachout earned a Gold medal at the 2023 World Taekwondo Grand Prix Challenge in Muju, Korea and a Bronze medal at the 2023 World Taekwondo Grand Prix Challenge in Dakar, Senegal.  Her relentless fighting style and incredible use of taekwondo techniques at the Pan American Qualification Tournament punched her ticket to Paris.

Jonathan Healy (M+80KG), fondly known throughout the United States as “Big Jon,” is a threatening competitor worldwide despite his quiet demeanor. Focus and consistency are the strengths of his game.  Healy proved this over the last few years of international competition, and it paid off again at the Pan Am Qualification Tournament this week. Jon powered his way through to the finals and earned his spot on the 2024 United States Olympic Team. 

USA Taekwondo Director of Athlete Affairs, Sherman Nelson, states “I have watched these athletes over the course of many years grow into the most amazing individuals and elite athletes. I have personally witnessed the dedication, blood, tears and sweat they experienced on their journey. I can attest to their dedication to the sport of taekwondo and to representing the United States. There is no place I would be other than ringside in Paris, where I can watch them achieve ultimate success at the 2024 Olympic Games.  I am excited we qualified a full contingency for the Paris Games. A full contingency that has real medal winning potential.”