There are many different routes into athletics and a career in sport, but from
the tender age of six years, Caden Cunningham was clear in his belief
of wanting to take part in the Olympics in the sport of taekwondo.
That mental focus at such a young age is indicative of how passionate and
determined Caden is to succeed at whatever challenge he accepts.
Still only 21 years of age, Caden’s view, and one echoed by all the taekwondo
practitioners interviewed by TheSportFeed, is that sport compromises of a
strong mental approach (70%?) allied to a physical conditioning and strength
element (30%,).
That mental determination was exhibited by Caden during the World
Championships (Nov 23) where he snapped his anterior crucial ligament
(ACL) during a bout. That debilitating type of injury can occur in many sports
with the injured party considering their long term future welfare, so departing
the field of play.
Caden decided to get the knee strapped up and continued the contest which
eventually won.
The lay off saw him plummet down the rankings and recovering from such a
horrid injury is never easy.
Symptomatic of his Yorkshire (Caden is from Huddersfield) grit, the challenge
to succeed spurred him on to win the next European Championships and see
him selected for his.
Quite willing to take a kick to the (protected) head, Caden, along with many
other several other athletes from the taekwondo organization, went across to
Korea, the country of origin of the sport.
With the relatively small number of people in the taekwondo competitive
circuit, familiar styles are encountered. Yet in Korea, according to Caden,
you will always come across an unknown who “can kick you in the head.”
For somebody who pursues a modelling career, that’s a bit of a strange
approach to take but he does not allow that to detract from the fact he wants
to become an Olympic champion and he’s cycle of preparation is completely
focused on that.
He thrives on the support of the family, making sure he can reflect this in turn
by draping the many medals he has won around the neck of his many nieces
and nephews.
For someone used to getting hit, Caden is also finds time to be a clothes
model, revealing more of his willingness to embrace new opportunites.
A new challenge for him might be on the musical horizon with the – yet to be
formed- taekwondo orchestra. Rebecca McGowan has played the trombone.
Bradly Sinden can play tuba/guitar so Caden is 100 % behind becoming lead
vocalist.
Let’s hope they’ve got plenty of victory tunes to play in Paris 2024.
Ged Camera
@cadenluiscunningham
@bradlysinden
@rebeccamcgowantkd
@britishtaekwondo
@beth_munro23