NEW DELHI: The Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS) has launched a nationwide taekwondo talent identification programme titled 'IIS Taekwondo's Fighting Chance'. The initiative aims to scout and select eight female athletes aged 16 to 26, who will be enrolled in a long-term high-performance training pathway designed to prepare them for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Eligible candidates must have a blue belt or higher, experience competing at the Indian Junior or Senior National Championships, and be medically fit to participate in a full-contact trial bout.
They should also have a clean record with no doping suspensions or disciplinary penalties. The programme will additionally consider female combat athletes from other martial arts backgrounds who possess strong competitive fighting experience.
"At IIS, we have always thought outside the box. While we are working on developing mainstream Olympic sports in the country, such opportunities should always be explored. We have already ventured into water sports, and taekwondo is up next. I am very excited and confident that this is the start of something significant for Indian sport," said Manisha Malhotra, President, IIS.
The first phase of selections will be held through two open regional trials conducted by IIS. The trials are scheduled for 17–18 January in Guwahati and 24–25 January in Trivandrum.
Athletes who make the initial cut will undergo a two-week immersive training and assessment camp at IIS, Vijayanagar, followed by a two-month advanced training camp in Europe and a four-week high-performance camp in South Korea. The top eight athletes will then be offered a full-time IIS contract and receive all athlete benefits under the IIS high-performance system.
The programme will be led by the IIS HPD Gary Hall MBE, who played a significant role in developing the high-performance taekwondo structure in Great Britain, contributing to multiple Olympic and continental medals.
"India has never secured a World Championship or Olympic medal in taekwondo. IIS Taekwondo's Fighting Chance aims to identify and develop athletes who can change that outcome. In my decades of experience as a sports administrator, I have seen such programmes yield success. This is a systematic, well-mapped plan that can change the face of taekwondo in the country. My team and I have done this before, there's no reason we can't do it in India with its vast talent," said Gary Hall, IIS High-Performance Director.
Top sports experts including Bianca Walkden (two-time Olympic medallist), Aaron Cook (European Champion), Jade Jones (Two-time Olympic Champion), President Moon Won Jae (President, Korea National Sports University), and Toni Tomas (veteran coach from Croatia,) are part of this first-of-its-kind initiative.
