(Feb. 18, 2025) - The Finn, who operates out of a Spanish Taekwondo school, coached a Hungarian Taekwondo athlete to victory at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

 

In a reflection of Taekwondo’s international nature, Mikkonen, herself, is a citizen of the world: She – with her family - left her hometown of Parikkala in Finland when she was four years old, moving to Florida, USA. Since then she has lived in Costa Rica, Argentina and Spain.

 

She started Taekwondo at age six. It became her life. She moved to Madrid to join elite Spanish club Hankuk where she trained under Head Coach Jesus Ramal, and competed from age 18 to 31. 

 

Like many pro athletes, she suffered for her passion.

 

“Years of competing at the highest level had taken a toll on my body, and I was dealing with persistent pain from injuries,” she said. Even so, “I knew I wanted to stay in the sport.”

 

Coaching was the obvious vehicle for a continued presence in Taekwondo. Her pursuit of excellence compelled her to pursue a masters’ degree in mental coaching. “It gave me not only confidence, but also a unique perspective that has shaped my approach as a coach today,” she said.

 

She discovered her charges on the sunlit island of Tenerife, where Hankuk customarily held training camps.

 

In 2015, a local coach asked if Hankuk could run a one-day seminar for island athletes. Mikkonen’s radar blipped as she watched two little blonde girls, identical twins, just nine years old, being put through their paces.

 

“They had a unique spark in their eyes, that rare energy you see in future champions,” she recalled.

 

The girls’ parents approached the coaches and said how much the girls had loved the session. Subsequently, the twins’ father called and said that the family was relocating to Madrid. “They had decided to chase the Olympic dream,” Mikkonen said. 

 

The girls were Luana and Viviana Marton. Mikkonen was “incredibly lucky” to be chosen to coach them.

 

Her luck continued. In 2023, she was selected to join the IOC’s Women in Sport High-Performance Pathway (WISH) program, a global initiative designed to support and develop female coaches at the highest level.

 

“Being selected as the only Taekwondo representative worldwide, and the only Finnish coach in the program, was a huge honor,” Mikkonen said.

 

WISH proved to be “a journey of learning, networking, and self-development,” and put her on track to achieve her personal ambition: To not only coach champions, but also to help shape the next generation of female coaches and leaders in Taekwondo.

 

Meanwhile, under Mikkonen, the Hungarian twins rose up the rankings. Among many notable achievements, Viviana seized gold at the 2019 European Cadet Championships, Luana took gold at the 2023 Baku World Championships. Then came Paris 2024 and Viviana’s Olympic journey.

 

A medal looked unlikely. Just 18, she had yet to record a major senior-level win.

 

The key issue in Olympic preparation “was ensuring that the athletes not only trained hard but also enjoyed the journey,” Mikkonen said.

 

Alongside intense sessions were breaks in the pool and visits to the beach. “These moments helped to keep them mentally fresh and reminded them that the Olympics should be an amazing experience,” the coach stated.

 

August 9: Fight day for the W-67kg Olympic weight category in the Grand Palais. The category’s favorites were falling. “Unexpected things began to happen,” she recalled. “I looked at Viviana and said, “Vivi, anything can happen today!’”

 

The young fighter showed no nerves: She walked out confidently, saluting the crowd, loving the moment. Long story short: Viviana Marton struck gold. “She wasn’t just an 18-year-old underdog anymore!” Mikkonen said. “She was an Olympic champion!”

 

Reflecting on her life in Taekwondo, the WISH experience and the triumph of Paris 2024, she hopes for the game to continue its tradition of gender empowerment.

 

“We need more women in leadership roles in high-performance sport,” Mikkonen insisted. “I want to help empower other women in coaching and to continue pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in Taekwondo.”

 

Taekwondo is gender-equal: It offers four male and four female weight categories, and at top-level events, strives for a 50:50 gender split in its referees. Mikkonen acknowledged these efforts, but said, “There is always more that can be done. While gender equality exists in competition, there is still a clear gap in leadership and coaching roles at the highest levels.”

 

Looking forward, she wants to see more female coaches leading teams at major tournaments; more women in technical and decision-making positions in the game; and more women involved in the sport’s governance.

 

“World Taekwondo can play a key role in this by creating more initiatives like the WISH program, offering mentorship opportunities, and actively encouraging national federations to develop female coaches and leaders,” Mikkonen said. “When young female athletes see women in positions of leadership, they begin to believe that those roles are attainable for them too.”

 

“It is a discipline where your background, ethnicity, or nationality does not matter, you can become a champion regardless.”

 

She noted the many Olympic firsts won by Taekwondo athletes from countries like Afghanistan, Gabon and Jordan; Iran’s first female Olympic medalist also came from the sport.

 

“Taekwondo is truly universal,” she said.

 

Her own hopes, accelerated by WISH, are stellar.

 

“I want to inspire the next generation of female coaches and leaders,” she said. “The more we push forward, the more the future of Taekwondo will be shaped by diverse voices, perspectives, and opportunities for all.”

 

 

 

 

       Photo from WISH