Lutalo Muhammad

Lutalo Muhammad (born 3 June 1991) is a British taekwondo athlete who represented Great Britain at the 2012 Summer Olympics, winning a bronze medal, and the 2016 Summer Olympics, winning a silver medal. He won the Gold medal in the −87 kg class at the 2012 European Taekwondo Championships.[3] He is the most successful male in British taekwondo history.

Lutalo Muhammad
Personal information
NationalityBritish
EthnicityZimbabwean
Born (1991-06-03) 3 June 1991
Walthamstow, London
ResidenceManchester, England[1]
Alma materMiddlesex University[2]
Years active2008–present
Height1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)[1]
Weight80 kg (176 lb)[1]
Websitegbtaekwondo.co.uk
Sport
CountryBritain
SportTaekwondo
Event(s)-80kg
-87kg
ClubWayne Muhammad Taekwondo Academy[1]
Coached byWayne Muhammad[1]
Achievements and titles
Highest world ranking1 (−80kg)
4 (−87kg)
Medal record
Representing  Great Britain
Men's taekwondo
Olympic Games
2016 Rio de Janeiro 80 kg
2012 London 80 kg
European Games
2015 Baku 80 kg
European Championships
2012 Manchester Middleweight
2014 Baku Middleweight
Grand Prix
2013 ManchesterMiddleweight
2015 ManchesterMiddleweight
2015 Mexico CityMiddleweight
Updated on 26 March 2017.

Early life

Muhammad was born on 3 June 1991 in Walthamstow, London, England to immigrants from Zimbabwe.[1] He was coached by his father, Wayne Muhammad, in the art of taekwondo from the age of three.[1]

2012 Summer Olympics

Muhammad won the Gold medal in the −87 kg class at the 2012 European Taekwondo Championships.

There is no −87 kg category in the Olympic Games; however, Muhammad was selected to be Britain's representative in the −80 kg category at the 2012 Summer Olympics. This decision was controversial as he was selected instead of Aaron Cook, who was the World No. 1 and European champion in the −80 kg class. The controversy attracted considerable attention in the media.

The decision drew criticism from former athletes such as John Cullen and Steve Redgrave.[4] Muhammed received hate mail following his selection.[5] GB performance director Gary Hall defended his selection and said "Aaron has a bigger marketing machine than the whole of GB Taekwondo", whilst fellow taekwondo competitor Sarah Stevenson dismissed the world rankings as inconsequential.[6]

Muhammad stated that "Unfortunately with the nature of sport there are always going to be winners and losers so I wish him all the best for his future, but my focus right now is not Aaron Cook, it's a gold medal in London."[7] In the games Muhammad reached the quarter-finals where he lost to Nicolás García of Spain.[8] In the repechage he defeated Armenian Arman Yeremyan 9–3 winning a bronze medal.[9]

2016 Summer Olympics

Muhammad won the Olympic silver medal −80 kg category improving on his bronze from 2012. Muhammad was leading 6–4 in the final before losing in the last second to Cheick Sallah Cisse of Ivory Coast. Down by two points and only one second remaining, Cisse released a spinning hook kick that landed on Muhammad's head, scoring 4 points and winning the bout.[10]

Honours
  • 2008 German Open (Gold) Jnr
  • GLL Sports Foundation Award (2008)
  • Middlesex University Sportsman of the Year (2011)
  • 2012 London Olympics (Bronze)
  • 2012 European Championships (Gold)
  • Middlesex University Sportsman of the Year (2012)
  • 2013 National Championships (Gold)
  • 2013 World Grand Prix Final (Gold)
  • 2014 European Championships (Bronze)
  • 2014 National Championships (Gold)
  • 2014 Commonwealth Championships (Gold)
  • 2015 European Club Championships (Gold)
  • 2015 European Olympic Games (Bronze)
  • 2015 World Grand Prix Final (Gold)
  • 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics (Silver)

References
  1. "Profile". teamgb.com. Archived from the original on 13 June 2012. Retrieved 14 June 2012.
  2. "Walthamstow's Lutalo Muhammad captures gold". East London and West Essex Guardian. 9 May 2012. Retrieved 14 June 2012.
  3. "Lutalo Muhammad". Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  4. Hope, Nick (24 May 2012). "London 2012: Aaron Cook must go to Olympics – Cullen". BBC Sport. Retrieved 14 June 2012.
  5. Hope, Nick (6 June 2012). "Lutalo Muhammad receives hate mail following selection row". BBC Sport. Retrieved 14 June 2012.
  6. Hope, Nick (1 June 2012). "London 2012: No Cook 'witch-hunt', insist GB Taekwondo chiefs". BBC Sport. Retrieved 14 June 2012.
  7. Hope, Nick (12 June 2012). "London 2012: Lutalo Muhammad says he can win Olympic gold". BBC Sport. Retrieved 14 June 2012.
  8. "Muhammad fails to justify selection over world No 1 Cook as Brit falls at quarter-final stage". Daily Mail. 10 August 2012. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
  9. Addley,Esther (10 August 2012). "London 2012: Lutalo Muhammad taekwondo bronze boosts selectors". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
  10. Pidd, Helen (21 August 2016). "Silver for Lutalo Muhammad after heartbreaking loss in −80kg taekwondo". The Guardian.
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