IIS Taekwondo Fighting Chance Launches National Female Talent Programme

The Inspire Institute of Sport has launched 'IIS Taekwondo's Fighting Chance', a nationwide programme to find and train eight female taekwondo athletes, aged 16 to 26, for a long-term high-performance pathway that targets qualification and success at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

The initiative focuses on athletes who already show strong fighting skills and competitive mindset. Candidates must hold at least a blue belt, have experience at Indian Junior or Senior National Championships, be medically fit for full-contact trial bouts, and have no record of doping bans or disciplinary issues.

IIS Taekwondo's Fighting Chance selection and trial structure

In addition to taekwondo specialists, the search also extends to female martial artists from other combat forms who possess substantial fight experience.

Such athletes can apply if they meet the competitive and fitness standards, giving a broader base of talent a route into Olympic-focused taekwondo.

The first assessment stage happens at two open regional trials run by the Inspire Institute of Sport. Shortlisted athletes from these events then move into a structured pipeline of international exposure and technical development under the institute's high-performance framework.

Trial dates	Location
17-18 January	Guwahati
24-25 January	Trivandrum

IIS Taekwondo's Fighting Chance training pathway and leadership

Athletes who clear the regional trials attend a two-week intensive training and evaluation camp at the Inspire Institute of Sport in Vijayanagar. Those who progress then join a two-month advanced camp in Europe, followed by a four-week high-performance training block in South Korea.

After these stages, the eight most promising fighters receive full-time Inspire Institute of Sport contracts. They gain access to the institute's complete high-performance system, including expert coaching, sports science support, competition planning and other athlete services designed to support a sustained Olympic campaign.

The programme is led by IIS High-Performance Director Gary Hall MBE. Hall helped build Great Britain's taekwondo high-performance system, which has produced multiple Olympic and continental medals, and now applies that experience to an Indian context through this structured, multi-year project.

IIS Taekwondo's Fighting Chance expert team and vision

Top taekwondo names are attached to this initiative. The expert group includes Bianca Walkden, Aaron Cook, Jade Jones, President Moon Won Jae from Korea National Sports University, and Croatian coach Toni Tomas, bringing a mix of Olympic, European and academic expertise to Indian athletes.

The philosophy behind the project is explained by Inspire Institute of Sport President Manisha Malhotra, who said, "At IIS, we have always thought outside the box. While we are working on developing mainstream Olympic sports in the country, such opportunities should always be explored. We have already ventured into water sports, and taekwondo is up next. I am very excited and confident that this is the start of something significant for Indian sport," said Manisha Malhotra, President, IIS.

Gary Hall underlined the long-term ambition, stating, "India has never secured a World Championship or Olympic medal in taekwondo. IIS Taekwondo's Fighting Chance aims to identify and develop athletes who can change that outcome. In my decades of experience as a sports administrator, I have seen such programmes yield success. This is a systematic, well-mapped plan that can change the face of taekwondo in the country. My team and I have done this before, there's no reason we can't do it in India with its vast talent," said Gary Hall, IIS High-Performance Director.

IIS Taekwondo's Fighting Chance institutional backing

The registration process for IIS Taekwondo's Fighting Chance is conducted online through a dedicated form. This helps organisers collect detailed athlete information in advance and ensures that only candidates who meet the competitive, belt and eligibility criteria are invited to the trial venues.

The Inspire Institute of Sport is described as one of India's key multi-sport training centres, focused on nurturing athletes across several disciplines. The institute offers world-class facilities, structured coaching systems and mentorship from elite coaches, aiming to help Indian athletes perform strongly on the global stage.