GB Taekwondo star Bradly Sinden eyes Paris 2024 gold after more World Taekwondo Championships success

Stainforth-born Sinden became a two-time world champion last week but is still best known for his Tokyo 2020 silver medal after losing his grip on gold with just eight seconds left of the final.

He admits that disappointment is his driving force for the Paris 2024 cycle, with qualification all but guaranteed following his fifth medal in as many major competitions.

“Everything from the last Olympics is a stepping stone to qualify and get myself in the best position for Paris,” says the former Ash Hill Academy student, who is the world number one in his weight category, 68kg.

"The World’s is a really big achievement and harder to win than the Olympics.

"In the Olympics there’s 16 people competing, in this World’s I think there was 80 (128 fighters contested the first round), so there’s more fights and it can be harder.”

Sinden is determined to remain in pole position for Paris, but admits new competition for top spot is emerging all the time.

He first became a world champion in 2019 but had to settle for another silver at last year’s tournament after suffering a shock defeat to 34th seed Kwon Do-yun in Guadalajara, Mexico.

"There’s people who pop up all the time, especially after Covid,” says Sinden, who has been based at GB Taekwondo’s custom-built training facility, the Ten Acres Lane Sports Complex, in Manchester since 2016.

“That was an advantage to the younger guys, they knew exactly how we fought but we didn’t know about them.

“Korea has so much depth, there’s five or six in certain weights who could all beat each other and have a chance of winning a medal.

"I don’t find there’s pressure on me, I have been at the top for a while now.

"I know people are coming for me but it’s about making sure I am on top and keep pushing myself.”

Sinden admits his ‘why’, Olympic gold, has become an obsession.

"It has to be," he says.

"That’s the end goal. Even though people say the World Championship is more well renowned in the sport, the Olympics is that massive event.

"You don’t get any bigger than it.”

Bradly Sinden is represented by talent agency MN2S.