22nd September 2017

Golden wonders Mahama Cho and Bianca Walkden ensured the GB Taekwondo squad enjoyed a flying start to the World Taekwondo Grand Prix in Rabat, Morocco.

London heavyweight Cho, Britain’s first ever Grand Prix champion in December 2013, won the +80kg title with victory over Russian Roman Kuznetsov.

But it was touch and go for the 2017 World Championship silver medallist before clinching his 8-7 victory.

Rio Olympian Cho also lived dangerously in his semi-final bout against South Korea’s Kyo-Don In.

The contest went to sudden death but it was Cho who survived to win 17-15 following earlier successes against opponents from: Serbia, USA and Iran.

World champion and Olympic bronze medallist Walkden had less issues as she continued her memorable year.

The Liverpool star has now claimed back-to-back Grand Prix titles following last month’s triumph in Moscow. Earlier this year she also successfully defended her world heavyweight crown in South Korea.

Opposing ‘Queen B’ in the final was Serbia’s Milica Mandic who knocked out Walkden’s British team mate, Jade Slavin, in the quarter-finals of the +67kg competition.

Walkden, however, made no mistake and hammered the London 2012 Olympic champion 7-1 having knocked out Saebom An of Korea in the penultimate round.

There was no joy, however, for Wales’ double World Junior champion, Lauren Williams, beaten 24-14 in the last eight of the -67kg event by Turkey’s Nur Tatar.

RESULTS:

+80kg Mahama Cho

Round 1: Beat Drasko Jovanov (SRB) 8-0

R16: Beat Stephen Lambdin (USA) 2-1

QF: Beat Sajjad Mardani (IRI) 23-17

SF: Beat Kyo-Don In (KOR) on golden point 17-15

Final: Beat Roman Kuznetsov (RUS) by K.O 8-7 GOLD

-67kg Lauren Williams

Round 1: Beat Victoria Tamez (MEX) 34-11

R16: Beat Iveta Jirankova (CZE) 26-5

QF: Lost to Nur Tatar (TUR) 14-24

+67kg Jade Slavin

Round 1: Beat Ana Bajic (SRB) 8-0

R16: Beat Reshmie Oogink (NED) 13-8

QF: Lost to Milica Mandic (SRB) 2-5.

+67kg Bianca Walkden

Round 1: BYE

R16: Beat Karina Zhdanova (RUS) 11-4

QF: Beat Nafia Kus (TUR) 8-3

SF: Beat Saebom An (KOR) 10-4

Final: Beat Milica Mandic (SRB) 7-1 GOLD

Schedule:

Saturday:

Male

-58kg: Max Cater (Southampton)

-80kg: Damon Sansum (Elgin)

Sunday:

Male:

-68kg: Peter Longobardi-Radford (Rye), Bradly Sinden (Doncaster)

Female:

-57kg: Jade Jones (Flint)