CHARLOTTE, USA (June 15, 2025) – For American Taekwondo fighter CJ Nikolas, his gold medal performance at the Charlotte 2025 World Taekwondo Grand Prix was more than just a win – it marked the beginning of a new chapter.

Coming off his Olympic appearance at Paris 2024 where he narrowly missed out on bronze, Nikolas knew something had to shift. “I’ve been working super hard, you know, coming off of the Olympics,” he said. “This is the first major event since the Games. I’ve done a lot of work on myself as a person, and it’s just translating into the ring.”

That personal growth was evident in Charlotte, where he dominated in style, not losing a single round on his way to gold. “For a while, I lacked the confidence that I could actually win in a fashion like that, that I could actually dominate,” he admitted. “And now I know who I am, and I know what I’m capable of. I know what I deserve.”

For the complete story: https://m.worldtaekwondo.org/competition/view.html?nid=142416&mcd=U05&sc=ne&fbclid=IwQ0xDSwLAIjZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHneQIgYnXiqLnM9hpHxKFsn9ozFX17LbGCHjHE85QejSCqK-OTnWkkhGfFJ3_aem_D74ttu-KO9EP5f-kYVD0WQ

-Courtesy of World Taekwondo