GB Olympians Jones and Walkden to return to training in Manchester

Taekwondo world champions Jade Jones and Bianca Walkden will be among the first Great Britain Olympians to return to training next week.

GB Taekwondo is set to reopen its Manchester training base from Tuesday, 26 May to around three-quarters of its elite athletes.

The UK government has eased coronavirus lockdown restrictions.

Jones and Walkden will be able to train together as they live in the same house but most athletes will train alone.

They will be supported by a skeleton staff at the venue.

"The athletes have been pushing to get back into training because they like the environment and they are such hard trainers," GB Taekwondo chief executive Matt Archibald said.

"We're in a positive position and no-one seems to be raising any barriers to restarting - there are just processes that are ongoing but they're getting knocked over one by one.

"We're confident that we are going to get three-quarters of the squad back in phase one."

Strict rules mean the athletes - expected to number around 18 - will attend the venue in small groups, and must undergo risk assessments and antibody tests before returning.

The coaches and staff designated to each group will wear personal protective equipment, and access routes have been simplified to minimise contact. All but essential support staff will continue to work remotely.

Many other Olympic sports, in particular those which are based at multi-sport venues such as Loughborough University and the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield, remain some weeks from a return.

Sports stars in Wales are yet to be told they can return to training, with new guidance referring only to England.