18 August 2023

World number one Beth Munro led the way for GB Taekwondo as all five fighters won medals at the European Para Championships in Rotterdam.

Munro, 30, confirmed her status as rankings world leader with victory in the -65kg K44 category.

There were silvers for world number two Amy Truesdale at +65kg and 2019 heavyweight champion, Matt Bush, in their respective K44 classes.

Completing the nap hand of medallists were Joe Lane at -80kg and Keira Forsythe at 52kg, also in the K44 category.

It all added up to encouraging progress for High Performance coach, Andrew Deer.

“It is pleasing we can go to a Championship, get into three finals and pick up two other medals,” said Deer.

“We are in a good place leading into the Grand Prix series and the World Championships.

“There are big points are up for grabs so we can still qualify (for Paris 2024) through ranking places alone.”

Liverpudlian Munro, a Tokyo 2020 silver medallist, continued her impressive run of results beating Turkey’s Lutfiye Ozdag to strike gold.

Truesdale from Chester, who also achieved a podium place in Japan, just missed gold in her final against Serbian Jelena Rasic going down 9-6.

Injury prevented Welsh star Bush competing in Japan but he’s making up for lost time on his comeback with some impressive results.

Still to hit full fitness, the 32-year-old was only denied gold in the latter stages of his final against Croatia’s former world title holder and Tokyo 2020 silver medallist, Ivan Mikulic. Leading 12-2 and 20-16, Bush eventually succumbed 37-30.

The tournament also yielded bronze medals for Londoner Lane and Forsythe from Wrexham.

The team’s next challenge will be the World Taekwondo Grand Prix in Paris from September 1-3, 2023.

* The 2023 World Taekwondo Grand Prix Final will be held in Manchester from the December 1-3.

This event will be the final qualification for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

With only the top 15 world ranked athletes in each Olympic and Paralympic weight category competing, this is an opportunity to see the best of the best compete live on home soil.

For more information or to register for regular updates visit https://www.britishtaekwondo.org.uk/manchester-2023-world-taekwondo-grand-prix-final/

For more information contact Trevor Baxter (Red and White Media) at trevor@redandwhitesport.co.uk or 07768 846839.

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