Sport Taekwondo Height 1.96 m | Coached by Paul Green Weight 100 kg | |
Born 16 August 1989 (age 27) ( 1989-08-16 ) | ||
Male 80kg semi final mahama cho gbr v jasur baykuziyev uzb
Mahama Cho (born 16 August 1989) is a taekwondo practitioner who competes in the +80 kg category. Born in the Ivory Coast, he has represented both Great Britain and France at the sport.
Contents
- Male 80kg semi final mahama cho gbr v jasur baykuziyev uzb
- Athletes reporting episode 1 lutalo muhammad mahama cho
- Early life and personal life
- Football career
- Taekwondo career
- References
Athletes reporting episode 1 lutalo muhammad mahama cho
Early life and personal life
Abdoufata Cho Mahama was raised by his grandmother in the Ivory Coast; his father was abroad and his mother was unable to care for him. A practising Muslim, he attended an Arabic school in Abidjan. As a child Cho was bullied.
Cho moved to London at the age of eight, at the request of his father. Cho's father Zakaia was a former African taekwondo champion who was teaching the sport there whilst also driving taxis. When he arrived in England, staying first in Kennington and then in Stockwell, Cho was unable to speak any English. He lived with his father's new family, forming a particularly close friendship with his step-brother David.
In 2014 he became engaged to French heptathlete Antoinette Nana Djimou.
Football career
Cho played semi-professionally for Erith Town. He trialled with Dagenham and Redbridge at the age of 16. He gave up his football career at the age of 17 to focus on taekwondo.
Taekwondo career
He joined the British taekwondo squad at the age of 17. He was injured at the 2011 World Championships. After that event he moved to Paris to study. He joined the French taekwondo squad, winning gold at the 2013 Dutch and USA Opens.
After returning to compete for Britain, at the World Taekwondo Grand Prix he won a gold medal in 2013, and a silver medal in 2014. In January 2016 he secured Britain their fourth and final qualifying place for the 2016 Summer Olympics.