Aaron Cook's
Biography
Date of Birth: 2nd January 1991
Place of birth: Dorchester
Lives and trains: Manchester
Aaron is one of the most promising youngsters in the world. He announced himself on the global senior stage in 2007 winning Gold at the German Open at the age of just 16, having dominated the junior age groups.
Having earned the right to fight for qualification by becoming British champion in December 2007, 17 year old Aaron won Bronze at the European Qualification event in Turkey against older and more experienced international competition to continue his meteoric rise by securing a place in the under-80kg taekwondo category at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
In Beijing he was the youngest ever Taekwondo player to represent Great Britain at an Olympic Games and fought well to reach the semi-finals. Aaron missed out on Gold by the narrowest of margins 6-5 to Mauro Sarmiento of Italy. He had been locked at 5-5 when both fighters launched a final attack with seconds to the end of their semi-final. Aaron thought he had struck the final blow, but the scoreboard handed the win to the Italian and Aaron was unable to contain his disappointment.
Just two hours later he was back fighting in the repechage final against China's Zhu Guo for Bronze. Three rounds of extraordinary action left both men spent. Aaron kept thinking he had scored, while the Chinese competitor picked up points on the counter-attack to eventually claim victory and the Bronze medal.
At the 2009 World Taekwondo Pro Tour final Aaron claimed an emphatic victory when he defeated the World Champion Steven Lopez with a spectacular KO. Aaron has now become the first taekwondo athlete to hold European titles at all levels: cadet, junior, under-21 and senior and is also the current British Champion.
In June 2011 Aaron made the difficult decision to leave the National Academy to work with his own team in pursuit of his Olympic Gold dream. Since leaving the academy Aaron has won 3 Golds and is hoping to continue this good form to be selected for the London 2012 Olympics next year, where he will be one of Great Britain’s strongest medal prospects.
Achievements
2011 Gold, British International Open
2011 Gold, Israel Open
2011 Gold, Costa Rica Open
2011 Bronze, Chuncheon Open, Korea
2011 Gold, Austrian Open
2011 Bronze, US Open, Texas
2010 Silver, French Open Championships, France
2010 Gold, British International Open
2010 Sub 21 European Champion
2010 European Champion
2010 Gold – US Open, Las Vegas
2010 Gold, BTCB National Championships, Manchester
2009 1st - World Taekwondo Pro Tour
2009 Gold, BTCB National Championships, Manchester
2008 5th –Beijing Olympics
2008 Gold - BTCB National Championships Manchester
2008 Gold - Junior World Championships. Turkey
2008 Gold - Belgian Open Championships, Belgium
2007 Gold - German Open Championships, Germany
2007 Gold - BTCB National Championships Manchester
2007 Gold - Australian Youth Olympic Festival, Australia
2007 Gold - Junior European Championships, Azerbaijan
2006 Gold - Commonwealth Championships (Junior), Australia
2005 Gold - Cadet European Championships, Italy