MUJU, Korea (Aug. 31, 2025) - Muju Taekwondowon is an iconic venue that brings happy memories for Kristina Teachout of the USA. Two years ago, she earned gold in the Women’s -67kg category at the World Taekwondo Grand Prix Challenge. This year, she repeated the feat with another memorable victory over Uzbekistan’s Ozoda Sobirjonova in the final.
In between those two triumphs, Teachout has picked up an Olympic medal with her Women’s -67kg bronze in Paris last summer.
“It feels so emotional. I was 17 back then, and I’ve been reflecting on how it was for the last two years,” she said.
“Between all the injuries and everything that went on, it is emotional. A lot has happened in the last two years, and actually I think it was a period that was necessary for me to go through.
“I lost a lot of close fights, but in the end I needed to go through that to go to the Olympics. Coming back again is so emotional.”
During her run to bronze in Paris, Teachout was narrowly beaten in the quarter-finals by the eventual champion Viviana Márton of Hungary. She looked back on that as one of her favourite fights which she learned many lessons from.
“I was flowing in it. It was such an exciting match,” she said.
“It was back and forth. I gave everything and even though I lost, it taught me a lot. I learned so much from it.
“Going through that loss and then going into the repechage and winning the bronze medal - it really taught me a lot.”
Her Olympic experience as a whole has proved instrumental in her development as an athlete.
“Transformative! I went through so much to get there,” Teachout said.
“It wasn’t the pleasure I expected to feel.
“I was very confident but it was reflecting on everything. I was so burnt out going into it, but indeed I learned so much by going through that whole process.
“I came out of the process learning so much and having grown a lot. It was transformative for me.”
Teachout has enjoyed a successful summer this year too at the World Taekwondo Grand Prix Challenge events, with her gold at Muju Taekwondowon adding to a bronze in Charlotte in June.
With those medals, she has earned an automatic qualifying place for the first two legs of the World Taekwondo Grand Prix in 2026, in Rome and Paris respectively.
She believes World Taekwondo Grand Prix Challenge events offer important opportunities for athletes.
“I think it is a great opportunity for athletes to be able to compete and experience this level of competition,” Teachout commented.
“Lots of people can come, and it is not only for the newcomers but also the experienced elite athletes.
“It is a great opportunity for athletes to get experience with higher-level athletes.”
Teachout is now preparing for the Wuxi 2025 World Taekwondo Championships from 24-30 October.
Looking further ahead, she has an Olympic Games on home soil to look forward to in Los Angeles in 2028, and admitted that it is an exciting prospect.
“Super exciting. I think the US is going to be very prepared,” she said.
“Especially for the athletes, it is a great opportunity, so we will have good momentum.
“I am so excited to see what happens.”
