The Championships, scheduled to see nearly 450 athletes compete over two days at the Meadowbank Stadium, will feature Kyorugi (fighting), Poomsae (a defined set of movements incorporating blocking, kicking and striking techniques) and, for the first time, Para-taekwondo.

Although taekwondo is now an established Olympic sport and on the programme for Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, it is classified as a "category two" sport in relation to the Commonwealth Games

Organisers hope the event will strengthen taekwondo's bid to be included on the programme of sports for the 2022 Commonwealth Games, to be held in either Durban in South Africa or Edmonton in Canada.

Among the competitors at the Championships is Great Britain's Jade Jones, set to make her debut as she aims to bounce back from defeat against Eva Calvo Gomez in the final of the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) Grand Prix in Manchester last month.

The 21-year-old is still waiting to win her first Grand Prix medal, but with world number one Calvo Gomez not competing in Edinburgh, the London 2012 gold medalist is favourite to claim her first Commonwealth crown.

Flint-born Jones, competing in the under 57 kilogram category, was one of only two Commonwealth representatives to win taekwondo medals at London 2012.

Lutalo Muhammad (left) is part of GB Taekwondo's young contingent at the Championships ©Getty Images



The event is the start of a busy pre-Christmas period for GB Taekwondo's leading performers, who are also scheduled to be in action at the French Open, the Turkish Open and the World Grand Prix finals in Mexico.

A youthful squad includes Lutalo Muhammad, Mahama Cho, Martin Stamper and Michael Harvey, plus a host of up-and-coming fighters looking to show up well as the countdown to Rio 2016 continues.

Falkirk-born Asia Bailey, celebrating her 17th birthday later this month, has European and World Junior medals to her name and will draw inspiration from a home crowd.

The Championships also provide a career breakthrough for Max Cater, Josh Calland and Archie Waldock, the three most recent additions to the GB Taekwondo Academy.

"The Commonwealth Championships are a rare opportunity for any GB athlete to pick up ranking points and to represent their respective home nation," said GB performance director, Gary Hall.

"The athletes are looking forward to the challenge and I am sure there will be some great matches between the best of Britain."

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