Taekwondo star Aaliyah Powell targets World Gold and LA 2028

At just 23, Aaliyah Powell has already stamped her mark on global taekwondo. A former junior world champion, Powell became Great Britain’s youngest senior World Championship medallist at 16 and has since added three consecutive world podium finishes to her résumé.

Representing Quest Taekwondo with trademark agility and tactical prowess, she delivered a headline-grabbing win over two-time Olympic champion Jade Jones in 2023, underscoring her potential at the highest level.

With structured double-session weeks, a strong support team, and a disciplined approach to training and nutrition, Powell combines elite performance with personality – from dance-born coordination to a growing passion for fashion. In 2026 she’s pushing beyond medals toward global gold and setting her sights firmly on Olympic success at LA 2028. It’s her blend of talent, resilience and vision that makes her one of British taekwondo’s most exciting athletes right now.

EARLY YEARS

Tell us about your first success in your sport?
My youngest success I would say was at the Yorkshire open and then in 2013 I got my first national title and won Gold. It’s been a journey since then!

What was your taekwondo club?
Quest taekwondo

GRASSROOTS

What would you say to someone thinking about trying your sport?
Taekwondo isn’t easy, it’s a sport that will test and push you out of your comfort zone, but the small milestones on the way to success can teach you a lot and make it worth it. You will definitely learn a lot of resilience, but this is useful outside of taekwondo too.

What initiatives are happening to get people into your sport?
GB Taekwondo run a talent draft once a year to spot upcoming talent who have the potential to be amazing! Keep an eye out for that if you are already into taekwondo. There is also a Paralympic outreach going on for those who are classifiable and want to give the sport a go.

TRAINING

How often do you train?
Five times a week, sometimes six. Morning session and followed by an afternoon session. It depends on our competition calendar and what our individual needs are to best prepare us. It’s a full-time job though!

Describe a typical training session
We start with warm-up activations around 9:30 as a group before splitting into our pods and doing a taekwondo session. We have recovery time in the middle of the day where we have our meetings etc. and then in the afternoon, we’ll do another activation session before doing strength and conditioning.

What is your favourite training session/exercise/drill?
In taekwondo I like tactical and realistic drills/rounds, but I also like explosive exercises that help with speed.

Best piece of advice from your coach? Be you, and you’ll be great. Trust in yoursel. I don’t want to give away any trade secrets but this one really resonates with me and my fighting style!

What’s the toughest thing about being an athlete?
It is a lot of sacrifice and commitment, but it’s also rewarding and opens up opportunities which you wouldn’t get outside this environment. When it gets tough my coaches eventually pushed me through it, and as I got hit more, I also learned how to deal with it. Once I developed the tools to defend myself and figure out how I wanted to fight, my confidence grew.

What’s the hardest part/skill in your sport to master?
Tactical awareness for sure. It often makes the difference in a competition and between someone who is good vs great.

TOP TIPS

Any go-to fitness tips you can recommend?
Perhaps a 3 or 4 step move you recommend Bunny hop – walking pace on the bike, crouch down onto your bike, chest to your handlebars and legs bent, spring up from there, pulling arms and tucking the legs to get your front wheel off the floor. Nice and fast to make your legs like a spring.

Define what success means to you?
Success brings visibility; you can’t opt out. I don’t set out to be anyone’s hero, but I know young people especially women of colour need to see someone who looks like them thriving. That motivates me to stay real and share my struggles.

FUN STUFF

Can you share three facts not many people know about you

How do you unwind away from sport?
Spend time with friends and family, reading, watch movies, buying clothes- I’m really into fashion.

Has your experiences in dance helped with taekwondo?
I think dance helped me in ways people might not expect. It wasn’t about training in the traditional sense, but about being part of a community. Every week I was surrounded by other dancers, learning routines, working on steps, and building toward a performance together. That experience carried over into Taekwondo, it taught me discipline, teamwork, and the feeling of pulling something together as a group.