Name: Paige McPherson
Sport: Taekwondo
Discipline(s): Taekwondo, Sparring Taekwondo
Weight Class: Welterweight -67kg
Classification: Welter -67kg
Height: 5-8
Weight: 140 lbs.
DOB: 10/1/1990
Birthplace: Abilene, Texas
Hometown: Sturgis, S.D.
High School: Black Hills Classical Christian Academy
College: Miami-Dade College
Team/Club: Peak Performance
Coach(es): Juan Miguel Moreno
Olympic Experience
  • Rio 2016 Olympic Games, 11th (-67kg)
  • London 2012 Olympic Games, bronze (-67kg)
World Championship Experience
  • Most recent: 2017 -- silver (-67kg)
  • Years of participation: 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017
  • Medals: one silver, one bronze
  • 2017 World Taekwondo Championships (-67kg): SILVER
  • 2015 WTF World Taekwondo Championships (-67kg): BRONZE
  • 2013 WTF World Taekwondo Championships (Welter): Round of 16
  • 2011 World Taekwondo Championships (Welter): Quarterfinals
Other Career Highlights
  • 2018: U.S. Senior National Team Member (Welter -67kg)
  • 2018: U.S. Senior National Team Trials (Welter -67kg): 1st
  • 2018 U.S. Open (-67kg): Quarterfinals
  • 2017: London Grand Prix (-67kg): BRONZE
  • 2017: Costa Rica Open (-67kg): GOLD
  • 2017: Moscow Grand Prix (-67kg): BRONZE
  • 2017: U.S. Senior National Team Member (Welter -67kg)
  • 2017: U.S. Senior National Team Trials (Welter -67kg): 1st
  • 2016: U.S. Senior National Team Member (Welter)
  • 2016: Olympic Trials (-67kg): 1st
  • 2016: Pan American Championships (-67kg): GOLD
  • 2015: World Cup Team Championships Team Member
  • 2015: WTF World Grand Prix Series 3 - Manchester (-67kg): Round of 16
  • 2015: Chuncheon Korea Open (-67kg): GOLD
  • 2015 Pan Am Games Team Member (-67kg)
  • 2015: Pan American Games (-67kg): GOLD
  • 2015 Pan Am Games Team Trials (-67kg): 1st
  • 2014 USA Taekwondo National Team Trials (women’s welter): FIRST
  • 2014 U.S. National Team member (Welter)
  • 2014 U.S. Open (Welter): SILVER
  • 2014 Canadian Open (Welter): BRONZE
  • 2013 U.S. National Team Member (Welter)
  • 2013 U.S. National Team Trials (Welter): 1st
  • 2013 Pan American Open (Welter): SILVER
  • 2013 Costa Rican Open (Welter): SILVER
  • 2013 Spanish Open (Welter): GOLD
  • 2013 WTF Grand Prix Final (women’s -67kg): Quarterfinal
  • 2012 USAT Female Athlete of the Year
  • 2012 Olympic Team Member (-67kg)
  • 2012 Olympic Trials Finals (-67kg): 1st
  • 2011 Pan Am Olympic Qualifier (-67kg): SILVER (qualified division for 2012 Olympic Games)
  • 2011  Pan Am Games (Welter -67kg): SILVER
  • 2011 Pan Am Games Team Member (Light/Welter)
  • 2011 Pan Am Games Qualifier (Light/Welter): Qualified
  • 2011 U.S. Open (Light): SILVER
  • 2011 U.S. National Team Member (Welter)
  • 2011 U.S. National Team Trials (Welter): 1st
  • 2010 2012 Olympic Team Trials 1 (Bantam/Feather): 2nd
  • 2010 Pan Am Games Team Trials (Light/Welter): 1st
  • 2010 Spanish Open (Welter): SILVER
  • 2010 U.S. National Team Member (Welter)
  • 2009 U-24 National Team Member (Welter)
  • 2009 U-24 National Team Trials (Welter): 1st
  • 2009 USAT National Championships (Light): GOLD
  • 2009 Outstanding Female Athlete at USAT National Championships
  • 2009 U.S. National Team Trials (Welter): 2nd
  • 2009 Kissimmee National Qualifier (Welter): GOLD
  • 2009 National Team Qualifier (Welter): 1st
  • 2008 Pan Am Championships (Welter): GOLD
  • 2008 Pan Am Championships Team Member (Welter)
  • 2008 U.S. Senior Nationals (Welter): GOLD
  • 2008 Des Moines National Qualifier (Welter): GOLD
  • 2008 U.S. Open (Welter): GOLD
  • 2008 Chris Canning Award of Excellence winner
  • 2007 Pan Am Jr. Championships (Jr. Lt. Heavy): GOLD
  • 2007 Junior Team Trials (Jr. Lt. Heavy): 1st
  • 2007 Outstanding Female Athlete at Senior National Championships
  • 2007 U.S. Senior Nationals (Welter): GOLD
  • 2007 Junior Olympics (Lt. Heavy): GOLD
  • 2006 U.S. Senior Nationals (Light): GOLD
  • 2006 Jr. Black Belt Festival (Middle): GOLD
  • 2005 Jr. Black Belt Festival (Middle): GOLD
  • 2005 U.S. Open (Jr.): SILVER
  • 2004 Jr. Black Belt Festival (Middle): GOLD
  • 2004 Junior Olympics (Middle): BRONZE
  • 2003 Junior Olympics: BRONZE
  • 2002 Junior Olympics: BRONZE
Personal: Enjoys going to the beach, shopping, and going to the movies...Hobbies include dance, snowboarding, and volleyball...Favorite foods are Asian food, her mom's cooking, and cheeseburgers...Was adopted when she was four days old...Believes in the three B's: breathe, believe, and be yourself