Sixteen-year-old Elliot Loretina, a young taekwondo athlete from the Bono Region, has returned home after competing at the Tashkent 2026 World Junior Taekwondo Championship in Uzbekistan. Though he did not reach the medal zone, his participation has been hailed as a crucial step in his sporting development.
Elliot, faced Morocco’s Ben Said in the -63kg division in Round 2.
Ben Said was leading with a total of 15 points to Loretina’s 3.
Two Gam Jeom (penalty points) against the Ghanaian athlete, while Loretina executed a spinning kick (3 points) and a back kick (2 points) during the contest.
Accompanied by his coach, Martin Oppan, Elliot safely arrived in Ghana and was warmly received by Technical Director and Executive Board Member, Stephen Amegashie. The reception underscored the pride in his effort and the belief in his potential for future success.Loretina’s participation in the championship marks an important step in his athletic development, offering him crucial exposure to high-level competition at a young age.
His performance reflects not only his personal dedication but also the growing strength of Ghana’s youth sports development.
Balancing academics with his sporting ambitions, Elliot will now return to Sunyani in the Bono Region to continue his education while building on the experience gained in Uzbekistan.
Though he fell short of a podium finish, his journey from Sunyani to the world stage stands serves as an inspiration to other Taekwondo Athletes.
Ghana welcomes back a young champion whose future in the sport remains bright.
