VIDEO EXCLUSIVE: U.S Taekwondo Star C.J. Nickolas Sets Sights On Olympic Gold in Paris

U.S. Taekwondo star C.J. Nickolas has one goal heading into the 2024 Paris Olympics: to win a gold medal.

“The main goal is that I’m coming home with an Olympic gold medal. I don’t really want to ask anything else from it,” Nickolas said. “The experience in itself is going to be great, and I’m ready for it. I’m just ready to be out there.”

Nickolas, a featherweight from Detroit, Michigan, is considered one of the top prospects for the U.S. boxing team in Paris. He won gold medals at the 2019 Pan American Games and 2022 World Championships.

Despite his success, Nickolas says mental toughness will be the biggest key at the Olympics.

“At this level of the game, there’s not a big talent disparity between athletes. It’s all a mental game,” he said. “When you’re at this level of the game, it’s whoever can stay on their plan the best. Whoever is mentally the strongest and whoever’s going to push the pace the most.”

As one of the smaller fighters in his weight class, Nickolas relies on relentless pace and conditioning.

“For my game, a majority of my game since I’m the smaller guy, is just pushing that pace on guys and making them work and understanding that I’m the hardest working person in my division so they know I’ll be able to outlast them,” he said.

Nickolas knows he’ll have a target on his back in Paris after his recent success, but he seems to enjoy that role.

“I’m well known in my division, and I’m expecting everyone to come for me,” he said. “Anybody who steps in the ring with me, I’m expecting fire, and if it doesn’t come, then you didn’t come well prepared because it’s coming back at you.”

The Paris Games run July 26-Aug. 11, 2024. The boxing competition is scheduled for July 28-Aug. 8.