Taekwondo star Michelle Tau is determined to become the first Mosotho to bring home Olympics silverware. Tau is Lesotho’s big hope at the 2024 Paris Games starting tomorrow after a successful four-year run in her flyweight (-49kg) division. Ranked 22nd in the world in 2022, the 27-year-old has shot up to third globally and, if her ranking holds, she would become Lesotho’s first-ever medallist at the global showpiece that is held every four years.
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Three athletes – Tau and the distance running pair of Mokulubete Makatise, and Tebello Ramakongoana – will represent Lesotho at the Olympics and Tau secured her spot in February at the 2024 African Olympic Qualifying tournament in Dakar, Senegal.
She is the first Lesotho taekwondo athlete to qualify for the Olympics in 20 years and bringing home a medal is a personal challenge she has set for herself.
If successful, she would make history as the first Mosotho to stand on the Olympic medals podium.
In an interview with the official Olympics website, Tau expressed her determination and described the significance of her participation.
“Going to the Olympics means everything is possible,” she said.
“One of the things that motivates me a lot is when people reach out to me to tell me how much I’ve changed their lives, how much they look up to me. That is why I want to be the first to actually bring a medal to my country because I’m challenging myself.”
Tau is set to become one of four Basotho taekwondo athletes to have competed at the Games and the third woman to qualify.
Likeleli Thamae qualified for the 2000 Sydney Olympics in Australia and Lineo Mochesane competed at the 2004 Athens Olympics in Greece.
“This makes me feel very special,” Tau said.
“The fact that I’m one of the few that will be at the Olympics for my country, because we have never had, like, ten people going to the Olympics or qualifying for the Olympics in my country. It’s always just like one person, two people. And it has been mostly in athletics.”
“Just to go to the Olympics and just to be on that (taekwondo competition) mat means that everything is possible. It means that I’m just a girl from Africa, I’m from Lesotho, and today I would be on the mat of the Olympics. Not everyone can achieve that,” she said.
Tau has been training in Madrid, Spain, where she is working with her coach, Hugo Tortosa.
In the same interview, Tortosa shared his aspirations for Tau.
“It is my dream as well for Michelle to win a medal. Going to the Olympics is a dream for athletes as well as coaches,” he said.
“Michelle, like most African athletes, is reaching for these medals at the Olympics because they deserve it. They start training in not good conditions, not good facilities, and they have the will to make it.”
As the Paris 2024 Olympics draw nearer, all eyes will be on Tau as she aims to make history and bring pride to Lesotho. Her journey and determination serve as an inspiration to many, and her potential success would mark a significant milestone for the country.
She is the first Lesotho taekwondo athlete to qualify for the Olympics in 20 years and bringing home a medal is a personal challenge she has set for herself.
If successful, she would make history as the first Mosotho to stand on the Olympic medals podium.
In an interview with the official Olympics website, Tau expressed her determination and described the significance of her participation.
“Going to the Olympics means everything is possible,” she said.
“One of the things that motivates me a lot is when people reach out to me to tell me how much I’ve changed their lives, how much they look up to me. That is why I want to be the first to actually bring a medal to my country because I’m challenging myself.”
Tau is set to become one of four Basotho taekwondo athletes to have competed at the Games and the third woman to qualify.
Likeleli Thamae qualified for the 2000 Sydney Olympics in Australia and Lineo Mochesane competed at the 2004 Athens Olympics in Greece.
“This makes me feel very special,” Tau said.
“The fact that I’m one of the few that will be at the Olympics for my country, because we have never had, like, ten people going to the Olympics or qualifying for the Olympics in my country. It’s always just like one person, two people. And it has been mostly in athletics.”
“Just to go to the Olympics and just to be on that (taekwondo competition) mat means that everything is possible. It means that I’m just a girl from Africa, I’m from Lesotho, and today I would be on the mat of the Olympics. Not everyone can achieve that,” she said.
Tau has been training in Madrid, Spain, where she is working with her coach, Hugo Tortosa.
In the same interview, Tortosa shared his aspirations for Tau.
“It is my dream as well for Michelle to win a medal. Going to the Olympics is a dream for athletes as well as coaches,” he said.
“Michelle, like most African athletes, is reaching for these medals at the Olympics because they deserve it. They start training in not good conditions, not good facilities, and they have the will to make it.”
As the Paris 2024 Olympics draw nearer, all eyes will be on Tau as she aims to make history and bring pride to Lesotho. Her journey and determination serve as an inspiration to many, and her potential success would mark a significant milestone for the country.
Tlalane Phahla
