Panamá
WT · Kukkiwon
El Taekwondo llegó a Panamá a finales de la década de 1960 y principios de los 70, impulsado por instructores coreanos que se asentaron en el país en el contexto del creciente intercambio entre Corea del Sur y América Central. La Federación Panameña de Taekwondo (FEPATA) es el organismo rector afiliado a World Taekwondo (WT) y al Comité Olímpico Panameño, y ha llevado al país a múltiples ediciones de los Juegos Centroamericanos y del Caribe, los Juegos Panamericanos y — con la clasificación de Carolena Carstens — a los Juegos Olímpicos de Tokio 2021.
Pioneers
The origins: Korean instructors and the first dojangs
The Korean community and the Canal Zone — a dual vector for TKD's arrival
Taekwondo arrived in Panama in the late 1960s through two simultaneous channels: Korean immigrant instructors who settled mainly in Panama City, and the Canal Zone — the strip of territory under US administration — where military personnel and American civilians with prior martial arts experience introduced the discipline. These two vectors gave the sport a distinctive early footprint in the country.
In those first years, Taekwondo coexisted with judo and karate, which already had an established presence. The Korean community played a decisive role in formalising the first dojangs and spreading technical instruction, laying the foundations that would later enable the creation of a national federation.
Federation
The Panamanian Taekwondo Federation (FEPATA) is born
Institutionalization of WT TKD — affiliated with the Panamanian Olympic Committee
The creation of FEPATA marked the transition from informal practice to an institutionalised sport. The federation obtained affiliation with World Taekwondo and with the Panamanian Olympic Committee (COP), integrating Panamanian athletes into the international competitive circuit and giving the discipline official recognition within the national sports system.
From its founding, FEPATA promoted the expansion of TKD beyond Panama City, supporting the emergence of clubs in the interior of the country. Its affiliation with PATU — the Pan American Taekwondo Union — opened the door to regional competitions that would prove decisive for the development of the national technical corps.
Regional
Panama at the Central American and Caribbean Games
Sustained participation — development of the national technical corps
Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, the Central American and Caribbean Games became the primary regional showcase for Panamanian TKD. Traditional powers such as Cuba, Mexico and Colombia dominated the medal tables, but Panama's consistent participation — in both kyorugi and poomsae — allowed the country to forge a cadre of coaches, referees and technical officials who would become the backbone of the national programme.
This sustained presence in regional competitions produced a quiet but important benefit: the formation of a technical corps capable of running high-level events and mentoring new generations of practitioners. By the time Carolena Carstens emerged as an elite competitor, Panama already had the institutional infrastructure to support her path to the Olympic Games.
Olympic
Carolena Carstens: Panama reaches the Olympic Games
Tokyo 2021 — first Panamanian taekwondoka at the Olympic Games (WT)
Carolena Carstens made history by becoming the first Panamanian taekwondoka to compete at an Olympic Games under the WT banner. She secured her berth at Tokyo 2021 through the Pan American qualification tournament, a milestone that represented the culmination of decades of institutional development by FEPATA and the national technical corps. Her participation placed Panama on the global WT map.
At Tokyo 2021, Carstens competed in the +67 kg category and fell in the first round 20-21 against Chile's Fernanda Aguirre in an intensely contested bout. Despite the early exit, her Olympic debut generated significant visibility for Panamanian TKD and motivated a new generation of athletes. She subsequently remained active on the WT continental circuit with an eye on Paris 2024.
Pan American
Panama at the Pan American Games and the continental circuit
Lima 2019 — Carstens competes at Pan American Games in +67 kg
The Pan American Games of Lima 2019 and Barranquilla 2018 (Central American and Caribbean Games) were key steps in Carstens' Olympic build-up and in Panama's broader continental presence. At Lima 2019, competing in the +67 kg division, she gained invaluable experience against the hemisphere's best competitors — the same circuit that would qualify her for Tokyo. Panama also began developing its poomsae programme during this period, seeking a second pathway to international competitiveness.
Looking ahead, Panama fixed its gaze on the San Salvador 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games and on the continental qualification tournaments for Los Angeles 2028. The strategic position of Panama City as a logistics hub for the region has facilitated the organisation of WT ranking events, strengthening the country's profile within the international federation.
Present
Current state: Panama as a Central American TKD hub
FEPATA consolidates — goal: Olympic qualification for Los Angeles 2028
Today, FEPATA operates as an active federation with structured programmes across Panama. Taekwondo has been introduced in public and private schools throughout the country, and clubs have consolidated in provinces beyond the capital, including Chiriquí, Coclé and Colón. Panama's geographic position — at the crossroads of North and South America — has made it a natural hub for regional TKD events and training exchanges.
The federation's stated goal is to secure at least one Olympic qualification for Los Angeles 2028, building on the precedent set by Carstens at Tokyo 2021. The poomsae programme continues to grow alongside the kyorugi pathway, and FEPATA maintains an active relationship with PATU and World Taekwondo to maximise its athletes' access to international ranking competitions.
Taekwondo en Panamá
- ›Tokio 2021: primera taekwondista panameña en los Juegos Olímpicos WT
- ›Eliminada en primera ronda vs. Fernanda Aguirre (CHI) por 20-21
- ›Lima 2019: Juegos Panamericanos, categoría +67 kg
- ›Continuó en el circuito WT durante el ciclo París 2024
Sigue explorando
La historia del Taekwondo continúa en cada dojang, en cada clase, en cada estudiante.