3rd May 2023

Golden girls: Bianca Walkden and Jade Jones.

Bianca Cook and Jade Jones recorded confidence-boosting title wins ahead of the World Championships starting in Baku, Azerbaijan at the end of the month.

The former world champions struck individual golds at the European Clubs’ Championship in Bulgaria.

Also finishing on top of the podium was Afghanistan-born, Tokyo Olympian Farzad Mansouri who has trained with the Manchester-based squad since early last year.

Three-time world champion Cook defeated Fatima-Ezzahra Aboufaras of Morocco in the final of the +73kg division.

“It is nice to get some ring time in the bank,” said Liverpudlian Cook.

“It is good practice for the World Championship and more ranking points for Paris (Olympics). Step by step, hopefully, I can get better and better.”

Jones, 30, who won her previous world title in Manchester three years ago, gained Euro honours with victory over Poland’s Patrycja Adamkiewicz.

“It was great to get lots of fights in,” said the double Olympic gold medallist. “It was excellent practice for the World Championships.

Farzad Mansouri with High Performance Coach, Mike Harvey.

“Obviously, I am also looking to qualify for the Olympics which would be my fourth Games. I am super excited, training really hard and looking forward to seeing what can happen.”

Additionally, Mansouri, 21, competing as a refugee athlete, triumphed over Turkey’s Ferhat Muhammet Saroglu at -80kg. He too will also compete in Azerbaijan with his refugee status.