Taekwondo coach and grandmaster Andy Rutten believes that Fiji has the potential to emerge as the leading nation in taekwondo within the Oceania region. Since his arrival in Fiji last year, Rutten has dedicated himself to nurturing taekwondo talent across the country.
The German-born coach brings a wealth of experience, having previously trained athletes from Papua New Guinea for two Olympic Games. After conducting various training programs and camps, Rutten has expressed admiration for the impressive depth of talent he has discovered in Fiji.
He remarked, “In my opinion, it is an incredible sport and can be an Olympic medal sport for Fiji if the government had better supporting programs so that kids have better exposure to high performance. I think Fiji could be one of the leading countries in Oceania.” Despite his optimism, Rutten highlighted significant challenges, including limited support and the absence of structured, high-level training, which he considers major hurdles for the sport’s development.
Nevertheless, Rutten remains hopeful that with appropriate backing and the establishment of effective development pathways, Fiji can compete for and potentially secure medals at upcoming Olympic Games. His commitment to the sport and belief in Fiji’s potential may inspire a new generation of athletes to achieve great success on the international stage.