9th November 2018

Charlie Maddock, the first British female athlete to win a European Games title, has returned to GB Taekwondo after a short break from the sport.

Maddock, who celebrates her 23^rd birthday on November 15, hasn’t competed since the World Grand Slam Champions’ series finals in China at the start of 2018.

But now back in training at the National Taekwondo Centre in Manchester, she is keen to make up for lost time.

“I didn’t want to have these ‘what if’ thoughts for the rest of my life,” said the Stoke-on-Trent born star.

“So, I went to see Gary Hall (GB Performance Director) about coming back.

“The time I took out I needed it at that time,” she added. “I know it’s a bit of cliché but I had to go and find myself and find what I loved. I discovered I love Taekwondo.

“I am sore but that’s to be expected training again after so long.

“But I am looking forward to the journey ahead. Everything is positive.

“The goal is to start competing again early in New Year while the bigger goal is to go to the world championships next year and to win the title.

“It’s good to be back and all the girls have messaged me which is great.”

Maddock made her international breakthrough at the 2015 European Games held in Azerbaijan beating Ivett Gonda of Hungary in the -49kg final.

Eighteen months later Maddock stunned Olympic Champion Kim So-hui to claim the end of year World Grand Prix overall final, again in Azerbaijan.

GB Performance Director Hall confirmed: “Charlie came to see me and expressed a real desire to make a return to the sport.

“In her own words she said, I recognise it is fighting in taekwondo that really makes me happy’.

“Charlie remains one of the most successful non-taekwondo transferring athletes to win major medals in the shortest period of time and is very keen to return and seek to win a title at next year’s World Championships.”