Olympic taekwondo champion in Tokyo Maxim Khramtsov told that to popularize his sport, another successful performance at the Games was necessary.
On Tuesday, November 14, a meeting with Khramtsov took place at the National Sports Museum. In 2020, he won a gold medal at the Tokyo Games, becoming the first Russian champion in the sport.
— Is it possible to say that taekwondo is not particularly popular due to the fact that it is a more complex sport than other martial arts?
– Yes, it’s a fact. It’s a very difficult sport. To understand it, you have to sit down for a day and watch the competition to understand how everything happens. Our rules change very often; every four years there can be something fundamentally new. It is difficult for people outside of Taekwondo to understand it.
— Is it realistic to make it popular in the near future or is it a long process?
– Of course you can. In the near future, we will just have to participate in the Olympics and win a few more medals, and then it will become even more popular. Taekwondo before and after Tokyo are two different types in our country.
— Does not being allowed to participate in international competitions affect your physical or moral state more?
— Morally, of course. Physically, I was as ready as I was. It is psychologically more difficult to prepare when you know that today you can enter, but tomorrow we will not allow it,” Khramtsov told .
Khramtsov is an Olympic taekwondo champion, world champion, two-time European champion, five-time Grand Prix champion.
The Summer Olympic Games will be held in Paris from July 26 to August 11, 2024.
Source : MatchTV
I am Ashley Ortiz and I am a professional journalist working for Athletistic. My specialty is in sports journalism, particularly boxing. I have written articles for some of the most renowned publications on the subject, and my work has been featured across both print and digital media platforms.
