22 Jul 2025

Winning medals, inspiring lives: how Brazil's Assis Matos is changing the face of taekwondo

ESSEN - Basking in the afterglow of claiming a silver medal in the men’s taekwondo -74kg category at the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games, Vinicius Assis Matos’ (BRA) face broke into an even wider grin as he considered repeating such a triumph on the biggest sporting stage of all.

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But then he stopped. There is one thing the young Brazilian (pictured above) wants beyond even success in Los Angeles in three years’ time.

“I want to win an Olympic medal for Brazil, but more than any title I want to make a difference in people’s lives,” Assis Matos told the FISU Games News Service (FGNS).

“That is the most important thing for me. If I know there are people who are doing sport because of me, who changed their lives because of me, then I won’t take a medal. That would make me so full of joy. Everything would be worth it.”

POWER OF SPORT

‘Everything’ covers a lot for Assis Matos. Growing up in tough circumstances in Belo Horizonte, a city in central Brazil, he had some stark choices to make.

“I have various friends who are part of crime. People who made bad choices,” the 22-year-old said. “Unfortunately, people with negative thoughts do make bad choices.”

But Assis Matos had something powerful to focus on, thanks to the defining efforts of Maicon Andrade, who became Brazil’s first ever male taekwondo Olympic medallist when winning bronze in the +80kg category at the Rio 2016 Games.

“He is my friend, a big role model, a black role model for me,” Assis Matos said. “It’s not equal for black people. It’s so important for me to have a role model who is black, it’s very motivating for me to know I can do it.”

Fuelled by Andrade’s example, Assis Matos doubled his dedication. Just three years after the Rio Olympic Games, and despite having “no structure” around him, the teenager became Pan American champion in the -73kg youth category.

BUSY MAN

Now happily combining training with work, the Brazilian has continued to progress in life.

“I have a company selling cell phones. I am an athlete and a businessman,” said Assis Matos.

While government funding kicks in for international taekwondo events, it is Assis Matos’ own earnings, and support from his community, that gets him to important regional competitions.

Not that the man, who was imperious through the rounds at Rhine-Ruhr 2025 before a 2-0 gold medal match defeat to Zurab Kintsurashvili (GEO), is complaining.

“Sport changed my life, everything,” the student-athlete said. “I can go to college, I can pay my bills, I can help my parents because of sport.”

GAME CHANGERS

Assis Matos, who competed at the Baku 2023 World Taekwondo Championships, naturally wants to replicate countryman Andrade’s high-level success, and that of Paris 2024 Olympic Games bronze medallist Edival Pontes (BRA).

But his primary focus, and that of his idols, will always remain on something more valuable.

“We have changed the face of taekwondo. There are kids from the favelas who want to be like us,” Assis Matos said. “I see kids who are not doing anything wrong and are doing sports because of me. I feel so good.”

Taekwondo continues at Messe Essen Halle 6 until the team events on Wednesday. Grab your tickets here.

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