3:53 AM
Shweta Pandey
Aaron Cook believes he can go from watching Power Rangers as a youngster to taking his place on the Olympic podium, despite splitting from the British squad set-up.
The 20-year-old competed at his first Games in 2008 but lost out in controversial circumstances to Zhu Guo of China for a bronze medal.
That has only increased his determination to go and win gold in London next year. But, as Cook reveals, his rise to sporting success stems from an unlikely source.
The Dorchester-born athlete watched Power Rangers as a child, leading his parents to take him to a local taekwondo club which was opening in his home town.
‘It could easily have been karate or judo, it just so happened to be that the taekwondo guy put a flyer through our letterbox,’ admits Cook after appearing as a life-size Power Ranger at the Westfield shopping centre in West London.
‘But that programme is the reason why I got into the sport – I just wanted to do what they did, be an “action man”. It’s amazing that they’ve done this for me now because I’m a big fan.
‘To be dressed as one for them was amazing! It’s pretty cool to be known as the Power Ranger of taekwondo now – maybe they can get me a job when I’ve finished competing!’
Behind all the fun, though, there is a tough challenge ahead of Cook, who last month quit the British squad set-up to go it alone ahead of the Olympics.
The single-minded youngster, now based in Manchester, made the decision following an earlier-than-expected exit from the world championships in South Korea.
Having crashed out in round two, Cook considered his options going into the biggest year of his life and opted to train with his own coach at the gym he has in his back garden.
Cook said: ‘I’m still on track, I’m still good enough, I’m just doing my own thing. This way I’ll get better sparring partners and do more competitions.
‘I’ve always wanted to have my own team, as boxers do, and I feel I can go and win the gold medal in London but sometimes you have to do things the hard way.
‘We parted on good terms but their way does not work for everyone.’
He added: ‘It was a tremendous disappointment at the worlds but I had to go back to the drawing board after that and it’s now about qualifying for London.
‘It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity but I have to keep my head down and focus now.
‘I’m training on my own at home at times and that can be lonely.
‘But I have friends all over the world I can go and train with and spar with, and that is what I plan to do.
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