Mahama Cho dreams of Olympic gold after choosing taekwondo over football

Cho has officially been selected in Team GB’s five-strong squad for Tokyo 2020

Mahama Cho is preparing for his second Olympic Games (PA Wire)

Resilient Mahama Cho believes battling back against the schoolboy bullies through the unique benefits of taekwondo laid the foundations for his determined pursuit of Olympic nirvana.

The Ivory Coast-born ace, 31, has officially been selected in Team GB’s five-strong squad for Tokyo 2020 alongside Jade Jones, Bianca Walkden, Lauren Williams and Bradly Sinden.

He narrowly missed out on a heavyweight podium spot in Rio but is hellbent on banishing those demons on the Japanese mat this summer.

Cho grew up in the London district of Stockwell and says taking up taekwondo helped him deal with childhood adversity – and set the wheels in motion for a thrilling assault on the biggest prize of them all.

Cho, who scooped silver in the +87kg category at the 2017 World Championship, said: “I get goosebumps even just thinking about it.

“Growing up it wasn’t the best neighbourhood in Stockwell, so I could have easily been in the wrong circle.

“I could have easily been in tough situations, but I had parents who always made sure I was respectful, disciplined and I was doing things the right way.

“Taekwondo has both the discipline aspect – and the competitive aspect.

“What was great about the discipline aspect was that it helped me growing up when I was being bullied at school and having that problem to deal with.

“When my dad decided to teach me taekwondo, the first part that he taught me was the discipline.

“The discipline aspect is about how to be able to control yourself and how you can defuse a problem. How can you be able to be more clever and outsmart the bullies at school, or even to make the bullies become your friend?

“These are life skills for when you go into the outside world. When you see problems and these issues, I know instinctively what to do because I’ve been taught that from a young age.

“It’s been the best experience to have from a young age – and it’s still ongoing today.

“I think having that guidance was most important to come out of that type of community and be here today representing my country.”

Cho was a talented footballer growing up in South London and had trials with Dagenham & Redbridge as a precocious 16-year-old.

Former Arsenal and Manchester City star Kolo Toure used to visit his local mosque but at 17, Cho opted to focus on taekwondo and a shot at the Olympic big time.

And he’s never looked back since, claiming silver at the 2017 World Championship, Grand Prix glory in 2013 and 2017 and that fifth-place finish in Brazil in 2016.

Cho says the scars from that defeat to Radik Isayev run deep but are intensifying his pursuit of becoming Team GB’s maiden male taekwondo gold medallist in Tokyo.

“You know I have unfinished business,” added Cho, whose tilt at Olympic glorywillbe broadcast live on Eurosport and discovery+.

“In 2016 I came so close to coming away with an Olympic medal – and that’s been my motivation ever since to push me to get back there.

“The only way I can erase that memory is by coming out and coming back with that gold medal.

“We have never had an Olympic taekwondo male gold medallist. It’s an opportunity to be able to make history, and I hope to god that when we go out there history will be made.”

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