Taekwondo rising star Hassan Haider could be on his way to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Hassan (18), from Carronshore, has been called up to the Manchester-based GB Academy where he will now live and train with taekwondo stars such as twice Olympic Champion Jade Jones and Rio Olympic Silver Medallist Lutalo Mohamad.
Hassan gained his place on the Tokyo Olympics Programme via the UK Sport “Fighting Chance” initiative which offers high-level combat athletes the opportunity to trial for a place in the elite academy.
A former pupil of Larbert High School, Hassan has been training at the Carronshore-based Central Taekwondo Academy under Grand Master David Bailey since he was four years old.
Over the last three years he caught the eye of the GB coaches with impressive results at international events around Europe including a silver medal at the prestigious German Open in 2016. His latest success was at the Dutch Open in Eindhoven where he defeated the current world ranked number three Jack Woolley from Ireland.
Grand Master Bailey said: “I’ve worked with Hassan for fourteen years and am delighted that he now has the amazing opportunity to get on the plane for Tokyo. Not only is he a hugely talented taekwondo fighter but he is also a modest and unassuming young man who has brought huge credit to our club.”