South Korea is braced for a free-for-all in taekwondo as their traditional martial art has rapidly grown global through its two Olympic appearances.
Gone are the days when Koreans hogged medals on every big stage in a sport which was developed over centuries by their ancestors who combined various styles. It was established in its modern form after World War II.
At last year's world championships, the men's eight gold medals were split among eight countries including South Korea.
In the women's contest, South Korea grabbed three golds with China taking two and Spain, Canada and Mexico one apiece.
The Olympic programme is limited to four classes each for men and women. South Korea won three golds when taekwondo made its Olympic debut at the 2000 Sydney Games but the number dipped to two in Athens.
‘Olympic competition has been tough. Helped by active state support, our rivals have improved their skills,’ said Kim Moo-Cheon, director of training and competition at the Korea Taekwondo Association.
South Korea's four competitors will be able to win ‘two or three gold medals,’ he predicted.
They will be spearheaded by Hwang Kyung-Seon, a two-time world champion in the women's under-67kg, who settled for bronze in Athens. ‘I am now more experienced than before,’ said the confident 22-year-old.
Cha Dong-Min is another hope, having improved since winning the men's over-80kg heavyweight title at the 2006 Student Games.
Each country can send a maximum four fighters, two men and two women, but now the Olympic quota, mainly aimed at stopping South Korea's medal monopoly, seems unnecessary.
Among 188 countries registered with the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF), 128 athletes from 64 countries have qualified for Beijing - many of them helped by a big drain of Korean coaches abroad.
Serious challenges are expected from China who have an advantage in front of their famously vehement home crowds as the sport is becoming popular in the country also known for its various traditional martial arts.
Chen Zhong is aiming for a third straight Olympic gold in the women's over-67kg. World champion Wu Jingyu hopes to shine in the women's 49kg.
‘We eye at least one gold medal and hope to win two if we are lucky,’ said Zhao Lei, vice president of the Chinese Taekwondo Association.
The United States are pinning their hopes on two-time Olympic champion Steven Lopez, who also has four world titles in upper middle weight classes, and his younger siblings Mark and Diana.
Canada's world 63kg champion Karine Sergerie wants to make up for her failure to qualify for Athens while Sarah Stevenson, the 2001 world heavyweight champion, leads Britain's squad in her third Olympics at age 25.
Heavyweight Daba Modibo Keita, who became the first-ever world champion from Mali, is aiming to win the African country's first Olympic medal in any sport.
WTF president Choue Chung-won, a Korean, said his governing body would globalise taekwondo further through educational and financial support along with its effort to maintain it as an Olympic sport.
He brushed aside an idea that ‘we must win more medals in taekwondo because it is originated in Korea’.
‘We need to help people to relish it to the full and players with more talent to claim a medal under fair judging and refereeing,’
Choue told the Korea Times. ‘Taekwondo is Korea's gift to the world.’
