Lisa Gjessing Explained

Lisa Kjær Gjessing (born 4 July 1978)^[1] is a Danish parataekwondo practitioner. Gjessing is a Paralympic gold medalist, four-time world champion and three-time European champion.

Career

Gjessing represented the Danish team in able-bodied taekwondo at the 2001 and 2003 World Taekwondo Championships.^[2] After having her left armed amputated in 2009, she then competed in para taekwondo, winning the world title in 2013, a feat she would repeat in 2014, 2015 and 2017.^[2] At the 2019 World Championships, Gjessing broke her arm during the quarterfinals but nonetheless won the bronze medal.^[2]

In 2021, Gjessing was ranked world number 1. She competed at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in the –58 kg category, having qualified via World Ranking.^[3] She was also one of the flag bearers for Denmark during the opening ceremony of the Paralympics.^[4] Para taekwondo made its debut there, and Gjessing won the gold medal, beating Great Britain's Beth Munro 32-14 in the final.^{[5] [6]} She competed at the 2022 European Taekwondo Championships, winning a bronze medal in the K44 wommen's -65 kg event.^{[7] [8]}

On 1 February 2024, Gjessing announced that she would retire from para taekwondo after the 2024 Summer Paralympics in Paris.^{[8] [9]} Competing in the 65 kg event, she had lost to Djelika Diallo in the quarterfinal. Heading to the repechage round, she defeated Munro and then defeated Marie Antoinette Dassi to win the bronze to end her career.^{[10] [11]}

Personal life

Gjessing had her lower left arm amputated in 2012 due to chondrosarcoma.^{[2] [12]} She is married and has two daughters.^[13]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Lisa Gjessing . Olympics.com . en . 2021 . 28 August 2021 . 28 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210828142715/https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/paralympic-games/en/results/taekwondo/athlete-profile-n1449580-gjessing-lisa.htm . dead .
2. Web site: Lisa Gjessing - the incredible story of Denmark's Paralympic hopeful . www.insidethegames.biz . 2021-09-05. http://web.archive.org/web/20210905160459/https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1107636/taekwondo-athlete-profile-lisa-gjessing. 5 September 2021. dead.
3. Web site: 1 January 2020. Athletes qualified for Tokyo 2020 World Rankings. Taekwondo Oezer.
4. News: Dowdeswell. Andrew. 6 December 2021. Para taekwondo fighter Gjessing nominated for Danish Sports Name of the Year award. InsideTheGames.biz. 6 December 2021.
5. Web site: ParalympicsGB roundup: Emma Wiggs storms to dominant canoe sprint gold. The Guardian. 3 September 2021. 4 September 2021.
6. Web site: fr-FR . Lisa Gjessing remporte la première médaille de para-taekwondo pour le Danemark . Tokyo 2020 . 2021-09-05. http://web.archive.org/web/20210905092850/https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/fr/paralympiques/actu/lisa-gjessing-remporte-la-premiere-medaille-de-para-taekwondo-pour-le-danemark. 5 September 2021. dead.
7. Web site: Medalist By Weight Category: 2022 European Senior Championships. 2022 European Taekwondo Championships. 25 August 2024.
8. Web site: Lisa Kjaer . . 29 August 2024 .
9. Web site: Lisa Kjær Gjessing er udtaget til PL i Paris som den første danske atlet. Via Ritzau. 1 February 2024. da.
10. Web site: Beth Munro consoled by mum after Paralympic defeat in opening round. Largs and Millport News. 30 August 2024.
11. Web site: Lisa Kjær vinder bronze i karrierens sidste kamp. Via Ritzau. 30 August 2024. da.
12. Web site: [World Taekwondo] "Gasoline for Life:" Danish Champion Lisa Gjessing Retains Title in Trail-by-Fire Finale]. 2021-08-08. m.worldtaekwondo.org.
13. Web site: Veteran taekwondo champion Lisa Gjessing relishing first Paralympic chance . Olympics.com . en . 22 August 2021 . 28 August 2021 . 28 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210828143125/https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/en/paralympics/news/veteran-taekwondo-champion-lisa-gjessing-relishing-first-paralympic-chance . dead .