Bianca Walkden lived up to her Queen B nickname as she successfully defended her overall World Taekwondo Grand Prix title in style.
The 26-year-old has been virtually untouchable this year, defending her World Championship heavyweight title in Muju back in June.
And she has carried that form over into the Grand Prix circuit too, winning all three events held this year, including the London leg, in the run up to this weekend’s season-ending Grand Prix finale in the Ivory Coast.
Fighting in the +67kg category on Saturday, Walkden made light work of the early rounds, defeating South Korea’s Saebom An 18-2 in the quarter-finals to set up a clash with Milica Mandic.
The Serbian won Olympic gold at London 2012 as well as world middleweight gold this summer but Walkden’s confidence shone through as she edged it 7-6 to move into the final.
Da-Bin Lee then lay in wait in the final, the South Korean the only person now able to prevent Rio 2016 bronze medallist Walkden from winning a fifth major title in a row this year.
However the Brit was not to be denied, battling right up until the end to triumph 16-9 and take the gold medal.
“I honestly can’t believe I’ve done it, I’m having to pinch myself,” said Walkden. “But it’s awesome.”
With a nomination for this year’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year also in the bag this past week, it has certainly been a 2017 to savour for the fighter from Liverpool.
Sportsbeat 2017