1. Early Life and Education
Zhao Shuai was born on August 15, 1995, in Changzhou, Jiangsu province, China. He began his journey in taekwondo in 2006. Academically, Zhao pursued and earned a degree in physical education from Southwest University. He continues his academic pursuits as a doctoral student at Southwest University. Despite his rigorous training schedule, Zhao has actively engaged in research, including completing an academic paper that analyzes various techniques and skills utilized in contemporary taekwondo competitions. His supervisors have noted his dedication to scholarly work even amidst his busy athletic commitments. Southwest University holds a global ranking of 156th, is ranked 156th among Asian universities, and is 72nd among universities in China.
2. Personal Life
Zhao Shuai is married to fellow Chinese taekwondo athlete Zheng Shuyin, who is also an Olympic champion from the 2016 Rio Games. The couple first met while training together on the Chinese national taekwondo team. Their relationship, which began years prior, culminated in Zhao proposing to Zheng on November 22, 2021. At the time of their engagement, they had been together for ten years and both expressed intentions to continue their competitive careers, aiming for the Paris Olympics. They officially announced their marriage on June 17, 2023, via Weibo, and held their wedding ceremony on August 6, 2023. Zhao stands 74 in (188 cm) tall and weighs 139 lb (63 kg).
3. Career
Zhao Shuai's career in taekwondo has been marked by a steady progression from national success to significant international achievements, culminating in Olympic and World Championship titles.
3.1. Early Career and National Competitions
Zhao Shuai's early career saw him quickly establish dominance in national competitions. In December 2010, he won the men's 54 kg championship at the National Taekwondo Championships. The following year, in May 2011, he advanced to the third round of the men's 54 kg competition at the World Taekwondo Championships, defeating Yanmat and Al Marzouch before losing to Thailand's Keha, thus missing the quarterfinals. In October 2011, he secured a silver medal in the men's 58 kg final of the Seventh National Urban Games, where he lost to Song Weijie 3:8, despite having defeated the same opponent 11:5 in a preliminary round. In November 2011, Zhao won another national title, defeating Chen Tianyang of the Guizhou team 12:4 in the men's 54 kg final of the National Taekwondo Championship.
In September 2013, at the 12th National Games, Zhao Shuai achieved a significant milestone for the Jiangsu Taekwondo men's team by winning their first-ever National Games gold medal. He defeated Fujian's Xu Yongzeng 3:2 in the men's 58 kg final. Reportedly, he even underwent a sauna session for weight loss prior to this competition. Later that year, in October, Zhao competed in the Sixth East Asian Games in the men's 54-58 kg category, eliminating Huang Changqi and then defeating South Korea's Kwon Hyuk-kyung 5:3 in the final to claim the gold medal.
In 2014, at the Incheon Asian Games, Zhao Shuai finished fifth in the men's 58 kg event after losing by a single point in the final five seconds of the fourth round to the Iranian champion of his weight class. In November of the same year, he won the men's 63 kg final at the National Taekwondo Championship, defeating Beijing's Hu Pengxiang 13:1. In May 2015, at the World Taekwondo Championships, Zhao competed in the men's 58 kg Group B and ultimately secured a third-place finish.
His strong performance continued into 2017, when on September 5, at the 13th National Games, Zhao Shuai won his second National Games championship by defeating Zhao Panfeng 8:5 in the men's 68 kg Taekwondo final. On September 24, 2021, at the 14th Games of the People's Republic of China, he defeated Chen Bolin 20:8 in the men's -68 kg final, securing his third National Games title. Despite this success, Zhao Shuai noted that he still felt the need to refine his techniques.
3.2. Major International Competitions
3.2.1. Olympic Games
Zhao Shuai has made significant contributions to Chinese taekwondo history at the Olympic Games.
- 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics**: Competing in the men's 58 kg category, Zhao Shuai defeated Omar Hajjami, Carlos Navarro, and Luisito Pié to advance to the final. In a closely contested gold medal match, he triumphed over Thai athlete Han Prapu with a score of 6:4. This victory was particularly historic as it not only represented China's first taekwondo gold at the Rio Olympics but also the very first Olympic gold medal in the history of Chinese men's taekwondo.
- 2020 Tokyo Olympics**: Zhao moved up to the men's 68 kg category for the Tokyo Games. He started by defeating Sediqi 22:20 and then eliminated Bernardo Piet 13:8 in the quarter-finals. However, he lost his semi-final match to Great Britain's Bradley Sinton with a score of 25:33, missing out on the gold medal final. In the bronze medal match, Zhao faced his rival, South Korea's Lee Dae-hoon, and emerged victorious with a score of 17:15, securing the bronze medal.
3.2.2. World Taekwondo Championships
Zhao Shuai has demonstrated consistent excellence at the World Taekwondo Championships.
- 2015 Chelyabinsk**: He earned a bronze medal in the men's 58 kg category.
- 2017 Muju**: Competing in the men's 63 kg final, Zhao Shuai defeated Iran's Joseni 11:5 to claim the championship title. This marked his first World Championship gold and was also the first World Championship gold medal for Chinese men's taekwondo.
- 2019 Manchester**: Zhao successfully defended his title in the men's 63 kg final, defeating Iranian opponent Ahmadi with a dominant score of 27:7.
3.2.3. Other International Tournaments
Zhao Shuai's international achievements extend beyond the Olympics and World Championships, with notable performances in various other tournaments.
- World Taekwondo Grand Slam**: He won a silver medal in the 68 kg category at the 2017 Wuxi Grand Slam and followed it with a gold medal in the same category at the 2018 Wuxi event. In December 2019, he was the runner-up in the men's under-68 kg category at the World Taekwondo Grand Slam Championship Series in Wuxi, which also secured his qualification for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics by ranking first in Grand Slam points for his weight class.
- World Taekwondo Grand Prix**: He earned a silver medal in the 58 kg category at the 2014 Manchester Grand Prix and a bronze medal in the same category at the 2015 Samsun Grand Prix. In 2019, he secured a bronze medal in the 68 kg category at the Rome Grand Prix and a gold medal in the 68 kg category at the Sofia Grand Prix.
- Asian Games**: At the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games, competing in the men's 63 kg and under category, Zhao Shuai defeated Mehtasoyev, Mo Nut, and He Jiaxin to reach the final. He ultimately lost to Iran's Hussein with a score of 11:17, securing a silver medal.
- Asian Taekwondo Championships**: In 2016, he won a bronze medal in the 63 kg category at the Asian Taekwondo Championships in Manila.
- World Taekwondo Junior Championships**: His early international success included a bronze medal in the 59 kg category at the 2012 World Taekwondo Junior Championships held in Sharm El-Sheikh.
- U.S. Taekwondo Open**: In March 2019, Zhao Shuai won the men's under-68 kg final at the U.S. Taekwondo Open, defeating British player McNish 19:17. This victory also earned him 20 Olympic points, bringing him closer to qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics.
4. Medal Record
Zhao Shuai has accumulated numerous medals from major international taekwondo competitions throughout his career.
| Competition | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olympic Games | 1 (2016) | 0 | 1 (2020) |
| World Championships | 2 (2017, 2019) | 0 | 1 (2015) |
| Grand Slam | 1 (2018) | 2 (2017, 2019) | 0 |
| Grand Prix | 1 (2019 Sofia) | 1 (2014) | 2 (2015, 2019 Rome) |
| Asian Games | 0 | 1 (2018) | 0 |
| Asian Championships | 0 | 0 | 1 (2016) |
| World Junior Championships | 0 | 0 | 1 (2012) |
5. World Ranking
As of August 2023, Zhao Shuai is ranked 67th in the world in the men's under-68 kg category according to the World Taekwondo Federation (WT).
6. Social Activities
Beyond his competitive career, Zhao Shuai has taken part in several public and social activities. He was honored with the role of flag bearer for China at the opening ceremony of the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta. He also served as a flag bearer for China at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, sharing the role with volleyball player Zhu Ting. On October 22, 2023, Zhao Shuai, alongside his wife Zheng Shuyin, led the race at the 2023 Suzhou Taihu Marathon.
