World Taekwondo Grand Prix: Jade Jones & Bianca Walkden win gold in London
- Published
Britain's double Olympic champion Jade Jones secured her first major title of 2017 and world champion Bianca Walkden won her third Grand Prix of the year in London.
Jones, 24, beat world champion Ah-Reum Lee 31-14 of South Korea in the -57kg final, while Walkden, 26, overcame Poland's Aleksandra Kowalczuk 20-7 in the +67kg final at the Copper Box.
"It feels amazing," said Jones.
With five medals, it is Britain's most successful Grand Prix.
Lauren Williams won -67kg gold, Bradly Sinden -68kg silver and Mahama Cho +80kg bronze on Friday.
Britain's previous best haul of four medals came at the inaugural event in Manchester in 2013.
Welshwoman Jones was competing in the capital for the first time since claiming her maiden Olympic title at London 2012.
She took time out of the sport after defending her Olympic title at Rio 2016 to take part in television programme such as Channel 4's The Jump.
Jones won bronze at this year's World Championships - she lost to Lee in the semi-finals - and claimed silver at the most recent Grand Prix in Morocco in September.
"Beating the girl that beat me at the World Championships, it's a nice feeling," Jones told BBC Sport.
"It's an incredible feeling, just walking in London and seeing all the places that bring back the memories and seeing all of my family and friends in the crowd cheering me on. I couldn't lose with them watching."
Walkden continues dominance
Walkden, whose victory was her fourth major success of the season, has lost only once since claiming bronze at Rio 2016.
"It's unbelievable and I'm over the moon. I was really nervous going out and I'm just so happy to come away with another gold," she said.
Earlier, Britain's Jade Slavin beat American Madelynn Gorman-Shore 21-12 in the opening fight of the day in the +67kg category, before losing 10-7 to Olympic champion Shuyin Zheng of China.
"Even though I didn't win, I'm really pleased with the performance," Slavin, 24, said.
"I held my ground, put in a good fight and I'll learn a lot from this competition."
Britain's World Championships bronze medallist Damon Sansum fights in the -80kg category on Sunday, the final day of the Grand Prix.
Moldoca's Aaron Cook, who represented Britain at the 2008 Olympics, is in the same weight division.
- Published20 October 2017
- Published19 October 2017