Jade Jones, Lauren Williams and Beth Munro aim for world taekwondo success on home soil

Jade Jones, Lauren Williams and Beth Munro will be in action at the World Grand Prix event in Manchester

Top-class taekwondo returns to Manchester this week with the World Grand Prix, as attention builds towards the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

Wales' Jade Jones, Lauren Williams and Beth Munro hope to star for Great Britain in front of a home crowd.

It is the first time in five years the UK has hosted a Grand Prix, and eight since Manchester staged the tournament.

The event is the third round of the 2022 series after Rome and Paris, with December's finals being held in China.

Ranking points are also up for grabs as countries bid to qualify for the Olympics in France in just under two years.

The four-day event, between 20-23 October, also comes before next month's World Championships in Mexico.

In Manchester, where new rules are being introduced ahead of Paris, Munro is in action on the opening day, while Jones and Williams compete two days later on Saturday.

One more Olympics

Double Olympic champion Jones has been rebuilding herself in 2023 after her unsuccessful campaign in Japan in 2021.

Jones, 29, told BBC Sport earlier this year she "wasn't in a good place" at last summer's Tokyo Games after suffering from anxiety in lockdown.

The Welsh fighter had been hoping to win an historic third consecutive Olympic gold, but lost her first contest.

Over the last few months, Jones has picked up success in the Presidents Cup, Swedish Open and Slovenia Open as she has re-found her love for the sport.

"It's been about a year of figuring myself out on the back of the devastating loss in Tokyo," said Jones.

"It's been about finding myself and building back confidence, making sure it's what I still want to do. There's still more to come and I am feeling good mentally and physically.

"This next two years is going to be important with all qualification tournaments. So it's it's all foot on the gas to qualify for Paris."

Jones wants to finish her Olympics legacy on her own terms as she bids to qualify for a fourth Games.

"After the defeat in Tokyo, I was feeling I hate the sport and despised it a bit but then, after a few weeks, you realise how hard it was to do what I have done in the first place," said Jones.

"Winning two Olympic golds, being a world champion and multi-European titles.

"I have been learning that wasn't me in Tokyo, it wasn't me the fighter in there, so I couldn't leave it like that.

"Basically in Paris I want to fight like myself and go out on my sword, rather than what I did in Tokyo."

Jones has fond memories of competing in Manchester where she won her only World Championship title in 2019.

"I always love fighting on home soil," said Jones.

"It took me a while to get that World gold medal and there was no better place to do it.

"I always seem to fight better there, so as many competitions as I can get there is better for me.

"So I'd love to smash it with a gold medal and plant my place back on the scene."

No silver lining

Lauren Williams won GB's second medal in taekwondo in Tokyo

Olympic silver medallist Williams is also looking forward to the Manchester experience in her -67kg category.

Williams, 23, has battled back from injuries suffered in early 2023, but has returned to full training.

"It's one of the best Grand Prix events, the crowd does bring the atmosphere and gives everyone that little buzz," said Williams.

"It is incredible and hopefully we will come out with some success."

Williams was leading with 14 seconds remaining in the final, and on the brink of winning gold at her first Olympics, before being denied by Croatia's Matea Jelic.

"It was devastating," said Williams.

"I am always proud of a silver medal, but I won't ever get over it.

"I didn't get the result I wanted in Tokyo, so Paris has been on my radar ever since.

"I also still don't feel like I've been to an Olympics because of the way it was. There was no crowd, it was literally just turn up, go to the hotel, fight and come home, we didn't even go to the village.

"That's helped in a way because I don't feel like I've lost out on my dream yet, because I've not actually lived and competed in it."

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Williams believes the psychological aspect could be more important in her Olympic dream after working with renowned expert Steve Peters.

"I do a lot with my psychologist and that area has been a massive growth and development for me," said Williams.

"I'm hoping future Lauren will be more mature and be able to handle situations better.

"I'm making progress in that area and can see how much I've matured as an athlete. I'd probably say it's the most important thing, especially for me.

"You could be physically in the best condition of your life, but mentally if you let one decision throw you off, or you're not able to cope with the situation, you can handle something wrong.

"Everything in our sport happens in a split second and if your mind lapses in concentration for that split second, that can cost you that gold medal, which it did for me.

"So that actually excites me going into Paris. Knowing it was only my mind that let me down, not physically, and I'm more than capable of getting a gold medal.

"That's what's keeping me positive and optimistic."

Ground-breaking event

Beth Munro (right) was beaten to Paralympic gold by the much more experienced Lisa Gjessing (left) in September 2021

The Manchester event is important because the Para-taekwondo athletes will be competing alongside the taekwondo athletes in a Grand Prix event.

"It is the first time Para-taekwondo athletes have done a Grand Prix, so it's ground-breaking in itself," said Munro.

"To have it in Manchester in front of the home crowd and support is even better.

"Para-taekwondo is on the rise, but having a Grand Prix alongside the Olympic guys is a massive history-making event for the sport.

"Hopefully we will get a Grand Prix final, but we will see what happens in the future."

Munro was the first British competitor to secure a Paralympic taekwondo medal with a silver in the women's K44 -58kg final in Tokyo 2021.

She only began the sport in late 2019 after being spotted by Disability Sport Wales at a talent identification day on Anglesey.

Munro joined the British full-time programme in March 2021 and the Paralympic final was just her fifth competitive fight.

Forced out of the World Championships last December after testing positive for Covid-19, Munro reflected on life since Japan: "That was a whirlwind and just elation in itself.

"Since then it has been a very good year. I became European champion in May and there have been some silver and bronze medals along the way.

"Hopefully I can be more consistent with the golds, but I can't complain. I am constantly learning because I am so new to the sport."

Other GB fighters competing in Manchester include world champions and Olympic medallists Bianca Cook and Bradly Sinden.

The pair are joined by Joe Lane, Amy Truesdale, Mohammed Nour, Catherine Makanjuola, Maddison Moore, Jodie McKew, Aaliyah Powell, Chloe Roberts, Caden Cunningham, Morgan Curtis and Rebecca McGowan.

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