April 6, 2022

GB Taekwondo’s Performance Director, Gary Hall.

Two-time world champion Sarah Stevenson MBE and GB Taekwondo Performance Director, Gary Hall, have accepted appointments with the European Taekwondo Union (ETU).

Stevenson, who became Britain’s first-ever Olympic medallist at Beijing 2008, and Hall, who has helped mastermind GB’s rise to its status as a global taekwondo powerhouse, have agreed to become ETU executive council members.

Confirmation of their positions with the sport’s European governing body comes just six weeks before Manchester prepares to welcome around 400 athletes from 40 nations for the 2022 European Championships (May 19-22).

Stevenson, 39, retired from competition in 2013 after a glittering career that included senior world title wins in 2001 and 2011 plus four European gold medals spanning 12 years.

She also competed at London 2012 when she took the Olympic oath on behalf of the athletes. Sarah, wife of GB Taekwondo coach, Steve Jennings, was recognised for her services to taekwondo in 2012.

She moved into coaching and has been part of the Fighting Chance talent ID initiative selection panel, tasked with unearthing the next Sarah Stevenson, Jade Jones or Bradly Sinden. Since then, Stevenson has gone on to become the President of British Taekwondo and sits on their board as Non-Executive Director too.

Sarah Stevenson (left) with World Taekwondo President, Chungwon Choue.

“My enthusiasm for the sport has never waned and it is an honour to accept the role on the ETU’s executive council,” said Stevenson.

“I always worked for the development of taekwondo and now I will have an extra reason to do it.

“Anything I can do to promote our sport, to help it grow but to ensure good governance, I will give 100 percent, like I did as an athlete, to make it happen.”

Already a great ambassador for taekwondo, Sarah is passionate about bringing about social change as well as being a champion for equality, diversity and inclusivity.

Hall has helped transform the GB Taekwondo programme from humble beginnings in a basic training facility to a multi major medal-winning organisation based at the five-star National Taekwondo Centre in Manchester. As a sport and business, taekwondo has moved on to unprecedented success under his stewardship.

Three gold medals were achieved when the city hosted the 2019 World Championships and three medals from Tokyo 2020 took GB Taekwondo’s Olympic medal count from the last three Games to eight.

“It is a privilege to join the executive board of the ETU,” said Hall, a vastly experienced leadership figure and GBT Performance Director since 2006.

“It is further recognition for the standing of our programme within the international taekwondo community.

“And it is excellent timing as we prepare to welcome the ETU family to Britain for the European Championships.

“We are a strong nation in terms of events and success on a global stage. So, this is a great opportunity to share our knowledge and support for our European taekwondo family.”