Judo: Natalie Powell beaten in World Championships

Natalie Powell is part of a nine-strong Great Britain team in Kazakhstan

Welsh judoka Natalie Powell has been knocked out of the World Championships in Kazakhstan at the preliminary stage.

The Commonwealth Games gold medallist won her opening -78kg contest, beating Italy's Assunta Galeone.

But in her next Pool B bout on Friday the 24-year-old from Merthyr lost to Luise Malzahn of Germany by ippon.

Powell was beaten in a bronze medal match in the European Championships this year and now also leaves Kazakhstan empty-handed.

England's Gemma Gibbons was also fighting for Great Britain in the same weight division but failed to qualify for the semi-finals from Pool D, losing her third contest to Slovenia's Anamari Velensek.

Velensek was the opponent who beat Powell at the European Championships.