Taekwondo world champions as athletes and coaches: the elite of the elite

Eleven names. Two crowns. The World Championships. In the history of the Senior Taekwondo World Championships, gold has always been the highest point of achievement. But there is an even rarer group: those who first reached the top as athletes and, years later, returned to dominate as coaches in the chair, on the same highest stage of the sport.

In this article, MASTKD presents the eleven protagonists who achieved this double victory: world gold as an athlete and world gold coaching from the chair.

The result is a list that spans eras, styles, and schools: three Spaniards, two Koreans, two Germans, one Dutchman, one Egyptian, one Iranian, and one Turkish. Eleven champions. Eleven historic figures. Eleven careers that will forever remain in the history of Taekwondo.

The 11 champions who won twice

Park Bong Kwon (Korea)
Yu Young Hap (Korea)
Ireno Fargas (Spain)
Elena Benítez (Spain)
Juan Antonio Ramos (Spain)
Dirk Jung (Germany)
Aziz Acharki (Germany)
Henk Meyer (Netherlands)
Amr Khairy (Egypt)
Aflaki Khamseh Madjid (Iran)
Servet Tazegül (Turkey)

Park Bong Kwon (Korea)

As an athlete

Coach: Kim Sae-Hyok
World Taekwondo Championships: Seoul 1985 (Jamsil Arena), September 4–8

He was one of the most spectacular competitors of his generation. He won the 1985 World Taekwondo Championships after defeating Italy’s Pietro Carreri in the final and consolidated a career marked by power, technical skills, and a recognizable competitive identity.

As a coach

World Championships: Jeju 2001

In Jeju 2001, he joined the technical team of the Korean national team and reached 10 finals, winning 8, in a performance that reinforced his historical importance outside the competition court.

Finals won as coach (Jeju 2001)

Lee Hye Young
Kang Nam Won
Choi Yeon Ho
Kim Yeon Ji
Sin Kyung Hyen
Jang Ji Won
Kim Hye Mi
Jung Jae Eun

Yu Young Hap (Korea)

As an athlete

Coach: Ko Evi Min
World Taekwondo Championships: Seoul 1975 and Chicago 1977

He was the first athlete to win two world gold medals in Taekwondo, with decisive victories in two consecutive editions: Seoul 1975 and Chicago 1977. He was part of a group of champions linked with discipline, precision, and uncompromising execution.

As a coach

World Taekwondo Championships: Copenhagen 1983 (Brøndby Hall), October 20–23

In 1983, he coached the Spanish national team and achieved a historic performance: six medals (1 gold, 2 silver, 3 bronze) and second place in the world team championships. After that milestone, he settled in Murcia, where he developed his sports project.

Finals won as coach (Copenhagen 1983)

Ireno Fargas

Ireno Fargas (Spain)

As an athlete

Coach: Yu Young Hap
World Taekwondo Championships: Copenhagen 1983 (Brøndby Hall), October 20–23

He was the first Spanish world champion. His career in Denmark included a decisive match in the round of 16 against South Korea’s Moon Jeong Kook, the favorite based on his continental record. He then went on to win five consecutive victories to take Spain to the top of the world for the first time.

As a coach

With an international career as an athlete, trainer, and coach, he has reached 20 senior world finals, with 10 victories: one as an athlete and nine as a coach. He has led world champions from three countries (Spain, France, and Mexico) and left a unique mark on high performance.

He currently serves as director of the La Loma High Performance Centers in San Luis Potosí and Querétaro (Mexico), in addition to his role as a sports event organizer.

Finals won as coach

With Spain

Barcelona 1987: Coral Bistuer
New York 1993: Javier Argudo; Isabel Cruzado
Manila 1995: José Jesús Márquez; Iriane Ruiz
Hong Kong 1997: Juan Antonio Ramos
Edmonton 1999: Elena Benítez

With France

Jeju 2001: Mamedy Ducara

With Mexico

Madrid 2005: Edna Diaz

Elena Benítez (Spain)

As an athlete

Coach: Ireno Fargas
World Taekwondo Championships: Edmonton 1999 (Universiade Pavilion), June 2–6

She was a leading figure of her era. During her twelve years at the CAR in Barcelona (1988–2000), she built a winning profile on a global scale. Her gold medal in Edmonton was marked by a highly competitive draw and a final of the highest level.

Elena Benítez was the only woman in this select group.

As a coach

As part of Spain’s coaching staff, she won three world finals: one in Beijing in 2007 and two in Copenhagen in 2009. She then established herself in technical leadership and high-performance athlete training roles.

Finals won as coach

Beijing 2007: Brigitte Yagüe
Copenhagen 2009: Rosana Simón; Brigitte Yagüe

Juan Antonio Ramos (Spain)

As an athlete

Coaches: Ireno Fargas and Francisco Martín
He was twice world champion, with titles in Hong Kong in 1997 and Beijing in 2007, separated by a decade: a fact that defines longevity, method, and consistency. His career was associated with fine tactical strategies, explosiveness, and the ability to resolve matches at critical moments.

As a coach

He directed high-performance projects and accompanied elite athletes from his academy, Club Elite Ramos & Brigitte (Palma de Mallorca). He also worked with national teams in different countries, extending his impact beyond his time as a competitor.

Finals won as coach

Puebla 2013 (with Gabon): Anthony Obame

Dirk Jung (Germany)

As an athlete

Coach: Park Soo Nam
World Taekwondo Championships: Guayaquil 1982 (Indoor Coliseum), February 24–27

A leading figure in the 1980s, he competed in four World Taekwondo Championships with a remarkable record in the heavyweight division: gold, silver, and bronze. In Guayaquil 1982, he won the final against American Kim Royce and left a mark of strategic power that was rare in Europe at that time.

As a coach

A doctor by profession, he was part of the German coaching staff in Barcelona 1987 and secured a gold medal from his chair: Michael Arndt defeated American Olympic champion Jimmy Kim in the final.

Dirk Jung passed away in November 2019 and was remembered as an athlete and a gentleman both on and off the field of play.

Finals won as coach

Barcelona 1987: Michael Arndt

Aziz Acharki (Germany)

As an athlete

Coach: Georg Streif
World Taekwondo Championships: Manila 1995 (Folk Arts Theater), November 17–21

He won the world title in Manila after defeating Mexico’s Roberto Estrada in the final. He also won two military world Taekwondo championships, at a time when precision and speed made the difference between victory and defeat.

As a coach

He led Germany for several years and then took on roles in Saudi Arabia and Denmark. He also achieved success in youth divisions, expanding his competitive impact.

Finals won as coach

Puebla 2013 (with Germany): Tahir Gulec

Henk Meyer (Netherlands)

As an athlete

Coach: Ben Oude Luttikhuis
World Taekwondo Championships: Seoul 1985 (Jamsil Arena), September 4–8

He was the first Westerner to win a World Taekwondo Championships in Korea in 1985: a victory that at the time seemed reserved exclusively for Korean athletes. In the final, he defeated Korea’s Kang Seung Woo and starred in one of the most iconic stories in modern taekwondo.

As a coach

He led the Netherlands for years and also worked on national projects in France and Greece. At the same time, he built a global teaching profile as a leader in courses and seminars.

Finals won as coach

Jeju 2001 (with the Netherlands): Ferry Greevink

Amr Khairy (Egypt)

As an athlete

Coach: Chong Kim Young
World Taekwondo Championships: Seoul 1989 (Jamsil Arena), October 9–14

He established himself in Korea in 1989 as one of the first great African champions on the world stage, with a monumental final against the local representative. His triumph opened a symbolic door: Africa could win gold in the heart of Taekwondo.

As a coach

After years of high performance, he led national teams and continued his professional career as a doctor in Cairo, maintaining links with international competitive projects.

Finals won as coach

Hong Kong 1997 (with Egypt): Tamer Abdelmoneim

Aflaki Khamseh Madjid (Iran)

As an athlete

Coach: Morteza Karimi
World Taekwondo Championships: Edmonton 1999 (Universiade Pavilion), June 2–6

He won gold in Canada in 1999 after a demanding competition of five matches and a final defined by personality and tactical strategies. His success positioned him as an Asian reference point at a time of sustained growth for Iranian taekwondo.

As a coach

He was part of one of the most memorable cycles of the Iranian national team (2005–2011), which culminated in the men’s team title at the 2011 World Taekwondo Championships.

Finals won as coach

Gyeongju 2011: Abdollahi Farzad

Servet Tazegül (Turkey)

As an athlete

Coach: Ali Sahin
World Taekwondo Championships: Gyeongju 2011 and Chelyabinsk 2015 (-68 kg)

He built an extraordinary career with achievements at both junior and senior level. He won four medals at the World Taekwondo Championships, including three golds (junior in 2004 and senior in 2011 and 2015) and a bronze in 2009. He also made his mark on the European and Olympic circuits with his competitive consistency and tactical maturity.

As a coach

After his time as a competitor, he continued in Taekwondo as a trainer and coach. Under his guidance, Hakan Reçber won gold in the -63 kg category at the 2023 World Taekwondo Championships.

Finals won as a coach

Baku 2023: Hakan Reçber

Legacy: winning gold twice

These eleven pioneers not only conquered the world as athletes: they also learned to win from another place, with another language, another pulse, and another responsibility. Taekwondo changed over the years, but the principle remained intact: the elite of the elite is not defined only by kicking harder, but by building champions when the fight is no longer fought with the body, but with the mind.

MAS: Media About Sport.
TKD: Taekwondo.
MASTKD: Worldwide Leader on Taekwondo Information.