Mchezo, a Rwanda-based company focused on sports and talent development as well as responsible gaming, has been pivotal in supporting Michelle Tau, a Lesotho Taekwondo athlete who is set to compete at the 2024 Paris Olympics on Wednesday, August 7.
Tau, who sees taekwondo as a family sport, has made history as the first athlete from Lesotho to qualify for the Olympics in 20 years.
Her late father, John Tau, was a national taekwondo legend, inspiring her commitment to the sport.
Poised to take the "family sport” to a new level, Michelle hopes to win a medal at the Olympics after months of rigorous training.
"Everything is possible, but it has not been easy to get to the Olympics. It requires a lot of sacrifices, but with determination, dedication, prayer, and good support, everything is possible,” she said.
Mchezo partnered with the government of Lesotho to support Tau’s Olympics preparation.
The company facilitated her attendance at top taekwondo training centres in Germany and Spain following her qualification for the women’s under 49 kg category.
Tau secured her Olympic spot by triumphing at the African Qualifying Tournament in Dakar, Senegal, on February 10-11.
Her coach, Hugo Tortosa, one of the youngest coaches at the Olympics at just 24, emphasised the importance of focusing on the first fight.
"In taekwondo, you can only think about the first opponent because if you do not pass that round, you cannot compete further, so we can’t think about other opponents at this time,” he said.
Ntoudi Mouyelo, the Managing Director of Mchezo, expressed immense pride in Tau.
"From the moment we were first introduced to her to this date, we at Mchezo have never once doubted her drive to excel,” he noted.
Michelle Tau has been part of the Lesotho national team since 2013. She serves as the Female Taekwondo Anti-Doping Ambassador for Lesotho and Africa, promoting the importance of athletes staying healthy and drug-free.
Beyond her athletic achievements, Tau is a champion for women’s rights, dedicated to ensuring that every girl and woman has the opportunity to learn self-defence against gender-based violence.