Background. Identification of significant features characteristic of best athletes (champions) which distinguish them from athletes representing a lower level of sports achievements is becoming an increasingly important issue in view of the further development of taekwon-do. Methods. The following were determined for the studied athletes: age using the Tanita BC-418 MA body composition analyzer, time period of taekwon-do practice, weight, height, BMI (body mass index), BMR (basal metabolic rate), FAT (fat content), FFM (fat free mass) and TBW (total body water). Those variables were analyzed in the winners (champions) of particular weight classes against all the other participants of the study (n=55) and against their particular weight class to which a given participant belonged on the basis of a confidence interval at the level of 95%. Results. The study showed that the athletes of particular weight classes differed within the scope of their BMR and the analyzed somatic indexes (p<0.001), and the champions of particular weight classes within the scope of any analyzed variable did not differ from the other practitioners participating in the study. Further analysis has shown that the significant features distinguishing the champions from the other contestants within specific weight classes are their age, how long they have been practicing taekwon-do, their height, BMI and BMR. Conclusions. It has been concluded that although there are statistical differences concerning BMI and somatic indexes between taekwon-do practitioners of different weight classes, it is possible to identify the features characteristic of the best taekwondo athletes differentiating them from those less advanced.
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