London has won the right to host the 2017 World Para Taekwondo Championship - the first time Britain has staged the prestigious tournament.
The event will take place at the Copperbox Arena, Queen Elizabeth Park on 19 October 19, 2017 and run in conjunction with the WTF World Taekwondo Grand Prix.
The successful bid comes less than two months after the sport’s world governing body awarded the World Taekwondo Championship to Manchester in 2019.
The WTF’s decision is a major boost for the sport in the UK at the start of a new four-year Paralympic and Olympic cycle concluding with Tokyo 2020.
UK Sport Chief Operating Officer Simon Morton said: “As a sport that will make its first appearance at the Paralympic Games at Tokyo 2020, we are delighted to support GB Taekwondo and the World Taekwondo Federation in staging the World Para Taekwondo Championships 2017 at the Copper Box Arena.
“The event will be taekwondo’s first world championships in the new Paralympic cycle and builds on our recent success in the sport having also been awarded the Grand Prix in 2017 and 2018 as well as the prestigious World Taekwondo Championships in 2019.
“UK Sport is delighted that the World Para Taekwondo Championships 2017 will be part of this package of pinnacle events to be staged in the UK.
“These events will form part of a UK-wide series of major international events supported by UK Sport, and backed by National Lottery funding, to inspire the nation.”
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has welcomed the award of the World Championship to the capital.
“It’s fantastic news London has been chosen to host both the 2017 World Taekwondo Grand Prix and the WTF World Para Taekwondo Championships,” he said.
“We have been working closely with GB Taekwondo and UK Sport on developing and increasing levels of participation in this fantastic sport in London, and staging major sports competitions like this reinforces our reputation as a world-class host.
“I look forward to welcoming Taekwondo fans from around the world to our great city and it’s a great opportunity to build on the success of our record-breaking Olympians as well as showcasing this exciting sport in London.”
WTF President, Dr Chungwon Choue said the international governing body was excited to be awarding the Para Taekwondo World Championships to London.
“The World Taekwondo Federation are delighted that the 2017 WTF World Para Taekwondo Championships will be held in London, Great Britain, the host of the 2012 Paralympic Games,” he said.
“This marks the perfect start of the Paralympic cycle for the athletes in sport classes competing in Kyorugi aiming to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games.”
Jayne Ellis, GB Taekwondo Performance Manager, added: “We are delighted to be hosting the World Para Taekwondo Championships in London,
“Paralympic sport has a special place in the heart of the UK public. And here at GB Taekwondo we are committed to providing world class support for our Paralympic athletes.
“We look forward to having the opportunity to inspire people to take up Para Taekwondo in the UK.”