Amy Truesdale - history-making taekwondo fighter seeks Paralympic redemption

Amy Truesdale is a British para taekwondo pioneer with multiple World and European titles having made her the sport’s first major star in the pre-Paralympic era.

At Tokyo 2020 she aimed to build on her legacy by adding Paralympic gold to her impressive list of titles as the sport made a Games debut.

The fighter would come away with bronze, which was still an impressive and significant achievement and added to the silver medal won by team-mate Beth Munro in Tokyo.

However, even three months on the 32-year-old is still frustrated by the result.

She aims to begin her journey towards “redemption” at the World championships in Turkey this weekend. The Women’s Sports Alliance (WSA) caught up with her ahead of the event.

Q – Amy, you helped make British para-taekwondo history in Tokyo, how do you look back on the Games and your bronze medal now?

“Obviously I went to Tokyo and was a great experience but I’m very disappointed with the results and that’s something I’m still trying to deal with.

“I was the favourite going into it, World champion, European champion, it was the only medal I needed. I think I was quite scared other people would define me on that one medal and not my previous achievements, but people have been really supportive. This isn’t the end of my journey I’ve lots of other opportunities, the world championships soon, followed by the Europeans in May so I still have something to train for.”

Q – What have you done with the medal?

“I am proud of it, which has taken some time, but I don’t look at it that much. It was wrapped in a face covering for the first month but now I do appreciate it’s a massive achievement and I’m looking after it a lot more and showing more people.

“I met one guy, he was like ‘I’m nearly 80 and it’s the first and only Paralympic medal I’ll see in my life’ and I thought ‘yeah that’s amazing’. Some kids, they hold it and are like ‘OMG it’s so heavy’ and can’t believe it, so it’s lovely to see their reaction.

Q – there will be even more weight divisions in Paris (up from six to 10), which shows the progress of Para taekwondo. How much do you feel it’s grown since you first took part?

“2009 was my first ever para taekwondo competition which was a lot smaller. It’s been amazing to see the sport grow and develop over the last 10-11 years, but for a long time not everyone knew that taekwondo was going to be a para sport (for the first time in Tokyo). Now it’s gaining recognition and people seeing it will increase the participation in other countries.

“I also think it’s the representation that people need. Sometimes people with some types of disability think ‘oh that’s too dynamic or flashy the kicks, I can’t do it’ but I’m an example that yes you can do it and that opportunity is there if you want to do a martial art.”

Q – Istanbul 2021 will be your ninth World championships and I guess you’re hoping for a third gold medal?

“My target is always to get gold and be the world champion.

“It’s the chance to prove I am still one of the best in the world in my division, so I’m just going for my best performance, try the new rules and weight categories, five it my best and hopefully I get the result I want on the day.”