Trio of Olympic medallists spearhead GB taekwondo squad bound for Worlds

A trio of Olympic medallists will headline a 15-strong British squad bound for the WTF World Taekwondo Championships in South Korea next month.

Jade Jones, who successfully retained her gold medal in Rio last summer, is joined by Lutalo Muhammad and Bianca Walkden in the team, who won silver and bronze respectively.

For Muhammad, set to compete for the first time since his heartbreaking Olympic final defeat in August, the target will be to land a first ever World Championship title to add to his bulging collection.

They are joined by six World Championships debutants, including double World Junior champion Lauren Williams, and Walkden, gunning for her second consecutive title, plenty of success could be on the cards between June 22-30.

“The boys are catching us up so the girls need to step it up,” she said.

“I do think they are going to win some good medals.

“I am really excited and if I fight well I can become double world champion.

“I have beaten everyone before but you still can’t underestimate them.

“Taekwondo is such a random sport: you can win one day and lose the next. But if I give everything I can, mentally and physically, then I can win again.”

And with confidence brimming following wins at the recent President’s Cup in Athens and the German Open, Walkden well and truly has her eyes on the prize.

“If I can go out there and win after not getting what I truly wanted at the Olympics it would be a nice double," she said.

"Double ACL reconstruction, double European champion and double World champion.”