TAEKWONDO: Australia will be represented by four taekwondo athletes at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games after a successful Oceania Qualification campaign in Papua New Guinea.

It is anticipated that partners and London 2012 Olympians Carmen Marton and Safwan Khalil, Carmen’s sister Caroline and Hayder Shkara will be nominated to the Australian Olympic Committee for selection. 

2013 World Champion Carmen Marton defeated New Zealand’s Rhiannon O’Neill and is now in a position to progress to her third Olympic Games in the -67kg division.

Khalil claimed victory over Isaac Myrie of the Solomon Islands and is now set to appear at his second Games in Rio in the -58kg division.

After agonisingly missing out on London 2012 after being disqualified with 15 seconds to go and up nine points in the final qualification bout, Caroline Marton now has the chance to realise her Olympic dream when she was afforded victory after the -57kg division was uncontested.

Shkara will also have a chance to make his Olympic debut in the -80kg division after defeating New Zealand’s Vaughn Scott. The 25-year-old Sydney-sider has had a strong 12 months winning Pacific Games gold midway through 2015.  

The four athletes will double the number of competitors Australia had at the London 2012 Games and will give both Khalil and Carmen Marton the opportunity to edge closer to a podium after both claimed fifth finishes four years ago.

Matt Bartolo
olympics.com.au