LONDON -- At the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, taekwondo may be moving further away from its roots as a Korean martial art, but organizers hope the new changes to the combat sport will produce more dynamic fights featuring even more of the acrobatic kicks it has become known for.Not only has the size of the competition ring shrunk, giving competitors less space to retreat from the usual onslaught of kicking, but the sports governing body is again encouraging athletes to use more spinning techniques -- competitors will now get an extra point for any kick where they turn their backs.Head kicks already score the most in taekwondo, earning three or four points. Shots to the body, including punches, score only one. Punches to the head are not allowed.After the scoring debacle of the Beijing 2008 Olympics, when the results of one match were overturned, taekwondo officials introduced a new electronic scoring system that automatically registers points when fighters, wearing electronic sensors, kick their opponents with sufficient force.Although the new method has eliminated the subjectivity of human judges, some athletes complain that it can be a bit temperamental and that the kicks that score best are often not traditional taekwondo techniques, but unorthodox adaptations that sacrifice form for expediency.Instead of the powerful turning kicks integral to taekwondo, many of the sports top fighters rely on quick-scoring jabs off the front leg that some have unkindly referred to as chicken fighting. Chungwon Choue, president of the World Taekwondo Federation, said officials are committed to finding a balance between honoring our traditional techniques and evolving the sport to make it more exciting for new audiences.He said the sports evolution also means more medal chances for everyone, including countries without an established Olympic track record. Choue noted that while taekwondo once used to be dominated by Asian countries with a strong martial arts history, eight different countries won gold medals at the London games, including Argentina, Italy and Serbia.And in another break from tradition that may make martial arts purists recoil, athletes will be allowed for the first time to wear colored trousers in Olympic competition. Athletes typically wear an all-white uniform and protective gear that is red or blue. At Rio, athletes will also be allowed to wear one color in addition to white on their trousers, which may feature a national flag or color; 20 countries have already submitted their designs and more are expected to follow suit before the games start. Taekwondos governing body said the move is meant to modernize the sport and make it easier for spectators to identify fighters.RETURNING STAR: American fighter Steven Lopez is the most decorated athlete in taekwondo history, winning a record five world championship titles and three Olympic medals, two golds and one bronze. At 37, hes also likely to be the oldest in the Rio taekwondo competition, in a sport where most athletes are in their early 20s. After a disappointing showing at the London games -- Lopez was knocked out in the first round after suffering an injury shortly before -- he will be even more motivated to prove he is still one of the sports biggest stars.DONT MISS: British-born athlete Aaron Cook was the sports top-ranked fighter in the 80-kilogram division during the run-up to the London Olympics but didnt make it to the games; the U.K. refused to pick him for their team after Cook abandoned their training academy, selecting instead eventual bronze medal winner Lutalo Muhammad. This time around, Cook isnt taking any chances and recently switched allegiances to fight for Moldova after having his citizenship paid for by the countrys taekwondo president. Cook fought at the Beijing Olympics, where he narrowly lost out on a bronze.REFUGEES CHANCE: Raheleh Asemani, an Iranian refugee now training in Belgium, won an Olympic spot in the womens 57-kilogram category after being granted the opportunity to fight under the World Taekwondo Federations flag as a refugee during the European qualifiers. Now working in a post office in Belgium after moving there three years ago, the former member of Irans national taekwondo team has been training with the Belgian squad and will represent her newly adopted country in Brazil. Wholesale NBA Autographed Jerseys . The Brazilian goalkeeper signed a loan deal with the Major League Soccer club on Friday as he looks to get playing time ahead of this summers World Cup in his home country. Camo China NBA Jerseys . PETERSBURG, Fla. http://www.wholesalenbachinajerseys.com/ . Reassurance came from Paul Tesori, his caddie and close friend whose newborn son is in intensive care in a Florida hospital. "Paul sent me a text this morning, just told me he loved me and wanted to go out and fight as hard as I would any other day," Simpson said Sunday after doing just that. Cheap NBA Jerseys Outlet . But now that hes in the NHL, the Calgary Flames centre showed big improvement in that department by scoring the winner in the eighth round of a 5-4 shootout victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Monday. Wholesale NBA Jerseys . LOUIS -- St.James Wade won his second PDC European Tour title with a thrilling 6-5 victory over Dave Chisnall in the final of the European Darts Matchplay in Hamburg. Wade claimed the £25,000 first prize at the Inselparkhalle with a classy weekend of darts, bouncing back in style from missing out on the Premier League play-offs to pick up his first ranking title of 2016.The left-hander had overcome a scare in Saturdays second-round tie with Welshman Jonny Clayton before disposing of world champion Gary Anderson in the third round on Sunday afternoon. He then edged past young Dutchman Benito van de Pas 6-5 in the quarter-finals before ending Michael van Gerwens bid to win a fourth successive European Tour event of 2016 in the last four - becoming the first player to defeat the world No 1 this year in this series.The opening two legs of the final against Chisnall were shared before Wade clinically won the next three without reply with finishes of 70, 64 and 118 to move 4-1 up.Chisnall then took out 140, 127 and 78 - on the bull - as he won four of the next five to take the game to a decider, but he missed tops for victory to allow Wade in, and the left-hander took out 82 by hitting tops himself as he took glory.Wades previous European Tour win had come in Gibraltar in 2014, and he said: Its a lovely feeling - I dont win often enough now so it means a lot to me when I do.I believe Ive played solid darts all weekend. I rode my luck but I proved that its not all always about hitting big averages but hitting crucial shots at the right time. Im very fortunate that Dave missed the double top and my one dart went in.That might be the most important double top Ive ever thrown, and I believe that in the next three to four months I can be dangerous.ddddddddddddThe defeat saw Chisnall finish as the runner-up for a second successive weekend on the European Tour, after last Sundays loss in the decider to Van Gerwen, although the St Helens ace picked up another £10,000 in prize money for his efforts. Wade beat Dave Chsinall (left) in the final Chisnall saw off Ron Meulenkamp and John Henderson to reach the quarter-finals, where he overcame tricky Austrian Mensur Suljovic 6-4 before defeating Peter Wright 6-3 in the last four.I can take a lot of positives from this, said Chisnall. I played well all day but I started too slowly. I got back into it but missed my chance and James deserved to win.Wright produced some superb darts during his run to the last four - including a sublime 160 checkout during his quarter-final win over Max Hopp - before losing out to Chisnall.Van Gerwens bid to continue his European Tour winning streak was ended by Wade in the semi-finals, but the world No 1 had produced some fine darts to defeat Daryl Gurney in the third round and Jelle Klaasen, in a high-quality quarter-final. Also See: PL darts talking points MVG stuns Taylor Prem table Darts betting cheap falcons jerseys cheap ravens jerseys cheap bills jerseys cheap bears jerseys cheap bengals jerseys cheap cowboys jerseys cheap lions jerseys cheap texans jerseys cheap colts jerseys cheap jaguars jerseys cheap chiefs jerseys cheap rams jerseys cheap dolphins jerseys cheap vikings jerseys cheap saints jerseys cheap giants jerseys cheap jets jerseys cheap eagles jerseys cheap steelers jerseys cheap 49ers jerseys ' ' '