Bianca Walkden has shrugged off any talk of pressure ahead of her European Championship title defence, insisting she is only focused on trying to better herself.
The Liverpudlian heavyweight could not have asked for a better start to the Olympic year, having not yet tasted defeat in 2016 and collecting trophies at the Dutch and German Opens and President’s Cup.
Walkden helped tp qualify Team GB a quota place late last year although the taekwondo team for the Olympic Games in Rio is yet to be announced.
But Walkden can continue to put herself in pole position with selectors with another good showing at the European Championships in Montreux, which get underway tomorrow.
The 24-year-old is part of a 15-strong Great Britain team in Switzerland, with the likes of Olympic champion Jade Jones, London 2012 bronze medallist Lutalo Muhammad and 2014 European silver medallist Damon Sansum also included.
And Walkden, who won gold at the last European Championships in Baku in 2014, followed a year later by the world title, is relishing the chance to show what she can do.
“If other athletes are scared of me because of what I have done, that’s down to them,” says the 24-year-old Great Britain star. “I just want to turn up and fight and live for the moment.
“Of course, I still get a bit nervous before every tournament and that’s normal. But I don’t put any pressure on myself.
“I want to go out and enjoy it and to try and keep getting better and better.”
Sportsbeat 2016