Stars to watch at the Taekwondo Asian Qualifiers. GETTY IMAGES

After last week's European Taekwondo Qualifiers, it is now the turn of the Asian Qualifiers to determine two more taekwondo athletes in each weight class who will secure a place at Paris 2024. The Asian Qualifiers will begin on 16 March in Tai'an, China.

China will be looking to secure their 6th Olympic licence, which would be the best result of any country. Two-time World bronze medallist and Hangzhou 2022 Asian champion Zhaoxiang Song will represent China in the men's +80kg category and his opponent in the Hangzhou 2022 final, Arian Salimi, will also be in Tai'an.

The Philippines will be represented by Tokyo Olympian Kurt Barbosa, a three-time Southeast Asian Games champion, who will compete in the men's -58kg category. Uzbekistan's 2022 Asian champion Jasurbek Jaysunov will be looking to secure a quota in the men's -80kg.

Kurt Barboza (red) is aiming to qualify for his second consecutive Olympic Games. GETTY IMAGES
Kurt Barboza (red) is aiming to qualify for his second consecutive Olympic Games. GETTY IMAGES

Al Farraj Wael will lead a four-man Athlete Refugee team in their bid to secure an Olympic berth in China. He will share the tatami with Abbasi Ali and Ghotani Al Yehya in the men's -68kg, reports Olympics.com. The other refugee athlete entered is Khavari Mahdi in the men's -58kg, who will be looking to emulate Kimia Alizadeh, who became the first refugee athlete ever to win an Olympic qualifying spot in taekwondo. Two-time Olympian Cansel Deniz is one of the most experienced of the 94 athletes competing in China. The Kazakh will compete in the women's +67kg. 

Kim Yu-Jin, 23, will be the only Korean competitor in the women's -57kg. The former junior world champion won bronze at Hangzhou 2022 and is the main contender for one of the two quotas in her weight category.