Mostafa Mahmoud Hussein, an Egyptian military national team taekwondo player, has revealed details of his recent participation in an international tournament in South Korea, where he won two gold medals.
The Egyptian athlete discussed his journey through the competition, his toughest matches in Kyorugi and breaking events, the role played by Korean expert An, and the support he received from his family and the military team.
He also addressed the challenges facing individual sports in Egypt, particularly the lack of media and moral support, stressing the importance of highlighting athletes’ achievements.
Mostafa Mahmoud Details His Two Gold Medals in Korea
Mostafa Mahmoud said he has been practicing taekwondo for around 15 years and joined the military national team after studying at the military sports school from around 2010.
He recently competed in a classified international tournament in South Korea, facing athletes from different countries, including Spain, Italy, Iran and South Korea.
The Egyptian athlete competed in Kyorugi, the combat discipline, where he played five matches, in addition to participating in the breaking competition. He eventually secured two gold medals.
Mostafa Mahmoud Competes in the Under-75kg Category
Mahmoud explained that he competes in the under-75kg category, while the breaking discipline involves breaking boards according to specific competition rules.
He also revealed that he has videos documenting the tournament and took part in a full interview with Korean television, which was covering the event.
Mostafa Mahmoud Reveals His Toughest Matches
The Egyptian taekwondo champion discussed the most difficult opponents he faced during the tournament, including athletes from Spain, Italy, Iran and South Korea.
He identified his match against the Iranian athlete as one of his toughest encounters, particularly because the result was crucial to his qualification.
He also faced a Korean opponent in the final match and managed to secure victory and complete his gold-medal run.
Why Was the Final Not Mahmoud’s Toughest Match?
Mostafa explained that he approaches every match as if it were a final because an athlete can face an Olympic or world champion from the opening round.
He therefore avoids assuming that the final match will necessarily be the most difficult and maintains the same level of focus throughout the competition.
He revealed that he was extremely exhausted after his match against the Iranian competitor and waited in the stands for his final appearance, expecting another difficult challenge.
However, he managed to win and complete his successful tournament.
Korean Expert An’s Role in Mostafa Mahmoud’s Success
Mostafa Mahmoud praised the contribution of Korean expert An, the current Egypt national team coach, during the tournament.
He explained that An was by his side throughout the competition, particularly during the final match, providing technical instructions and support.
How Did Korean Coach An Help Mahmoud?
Mahmoud said the Korean coach carefully analyzed his opponent’s movements and playing style before giving him instructions about his strengths and weaknesses.
The information helped Mahmoud understand how his opponent operated and allowed him to focus on exploiting specific weaknesses during the match.
He ultimately secured the victory and described the encounter as less physically demanding than his earlier match against the Iranian athlete.
Mostafa Mahmoud Credits His Family for His Taekwondo Journey
The Egyptian champion said his mother, father and older brother Hamada were the three people who provided him with the greatest support throughout his sporting career.
He specifically highlighted his mother’s role in standing by him and supporting him since childhood.
Mahmoud also explained that he worked with many coaches throughout his taekwondo career and preferred not to name specific individuals because each coach played an important role during a particular stage of his development.
How Did the Egyptian Military Team Support Mahmoud?
Mostafa Mahmoud emphasized the major role played by the military national team in his career, particularly by helping him travel and compete in international tournaments.
He believes his participation with the military teams gave him important opportunities to compete internationally and develop to his current level.
At the same time, he acknowledged that athletes sometimes have to cover part of their expenses themselves, while expressing appreciation for the authorities responsible for him and the support provided within available resources.
Mostafa Mahmoud: Individual Sports Do Not Get Enough Attention
The Egyptian athlete also discussed the broader situation of individual sports in Egypt, arguing that they do not receive enough attention or support.
He explained that some officials and officers try to assist athletes within the available resources, but funding does not always cover all of the athlete’s needs, particularly international travel and competition expenses.
According to Mahmoud, greater support would allow athletes to focus more fully on training and competition rather than financial concerns.
Media Coverage Is Important for Individual Sports Athletes
Mostafa Mahmoud stressed the importance of media coverage in supporting individual sports athletes.
He pointed out that Egyptian athletes compete internationally and raise the country’s flag, yet their achievements do not always receive sufficient attention.
He noted that when Egyptian athletes travel to countries such as South Korea, Spain and Japan, they often receive media attention from the host country, particularly after winning medals.
By contrast, he believes athletes can return to Egypt after major achievements without the wider public knowing enough about what they accomplished.
Mostafa Mahmoud: I Feel Like I Won the Tournament Twice
Mahmoud explained that he feels he achieved his tournament success twice: first when he stood on the podium and heard Egypt’s national anthem, and again when media outlets and major pages highlighted his achievement.
He described standing on the podium while the Egyptian anthem played as an extraordinary moment.
He also stressed that seeing people he does not know share his achievements provides significant moral support and makes him feel that his success has been recognized.
Mostafa Mahmoud’s Message to Officials and the Media
The taekwondo champion called on officials and media organizations to pay greater attention to individual sports athletes.
He emphasized that support does not always have to be financial, noting that media coverage and moral encouragement can provide athletes with a powerful motivation to continue.
He also highlighted the importance of such support for younger athletes, who need to see their achievements recognized and appreciated as they build their sporting careers.
Mostafa Mahmoud Hopes to Continue Raising Egypt’s Flag
Mostafa Mahmoud concluded by emphasizing the importance of media and moral support for individual sports athletes.
He thanked everyone who highlighted his participation in the South Korean tournament and expressed his hope of achieving even better results in future competitions while continuing to raise Egypt’s flag internationally.
Who is Mostafa Mahmoud Hussein?
He is an Egyptian military national team taekwondo player who has practiced the sport for around 15 years.
How many medals did Mostafa Mahmoud win in South Korea?
He won two gold medals at the international tournament.
What was Mostafa Mahmoud’s toughest match?
He described his match against the Iranian athlete as one of his toughest encounters, while the final against the Korean competitor was also an important challenge.
What was Korean expert An’s role?
He analyzed the opponents, identified their strengths and weaknesses, and provided technical instructions before and during the competition.
What did Mostafa Mahmoud ask from the media?
He called for greater media attention toward individual sports champions, emphasizing the importance of moral and media support for athletes.
