27th November 2021

Bianca Walkden added another gold medal to her collection as GB Taekwondo fighters competed in Saudi Arabia for the first time.

The three-time world champion was one of four British athletes to medal at the first edition of World Taekwondo’s Women’s Open Championship in the country’s capital, Riyadh.

And the Manchester trained squad was among 36 countries competing at this inaugural G-4 event.

Walkden won an Olympic bronze medal last summer but was disappointed not to upgrade her success to gold.

However, the Liverpool heavyweight has bounced back with a string of fine performances, including victory at the French Open and now this Saudi success which also earned her 40 ranking points towards qualification for Paris 2024.

Fellow Tokyo 2020 Olympian Lauren Williams, Aaliyah Powell and Maddison Moore all gained bronze medals plus 14 ranking points.

Walkden whitewashed Spain’s Tania Castineira 13-0 in her semi-final bout before defeating Russia’s two-time European champion, Kristina Adebaio 10-3 in the final.

Lauren Williams (left) and Maddison Moore after winning bronze.

Tokyo silver medallist, Lauren Williams, lost 10-3 in the semi-finals of the -67kg competition, beaten by French rival, Magda Wiet Henin.

Russian Anna Kazarnovskaia defeated Moore 20-13 in their -49kg, last four clash while Powell lost 17-9 against Iranian Zahra Sheidaei in their semi-final.

Olympian Bianca Walkden (left) with bronze medallist, Aaliyah Powell.

Powell, a bronze medallist on debut at the 2019 World Championships in Manchester, said: “Not the colour I wanted to be coming home with. But it is all part of the journey. We take the lessons back to the gym to push on for the next tournament.”

Come and watch the stars of GB Taekwondo as they take on Europe’s best on their journey to secure a place at the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics.

This will be their first major competition on home soil since Tokyo – join us ringside to watch the likes of Olympic silver medallists Lauren Williams and Bradly Sinden, Beth Munro who secured the first-ever Paralympic medal for GB Taekwondo as well as, bronze medallists Bianca Walkden and Amy Truesdale.

Tickets are available to buy here.