Double Olympic champion Jade Jones added another medal to her glittering collection after winning gold at the World Taekwondo Grand Prix in Italy. The Welsh fighter defeated Spain’s Marta Calvo Gomez in the -57kg final in Rome, edging a tight final 14-12 despite struggling with a double hamstring tear. Fellow Brit Bianca Walkden was forced to settle for bronze in the +67kg division, after losing to Poland’s Aleksandra Kowalczuk in her semi-final. Jones, who defended her European title last month, had progressed to the quarter-finals earlier in the day by defeating South Korea’s Geum-Byeol Lim 26-5 in her round 16 bout. She then secured her place in the final four with another dominant display against German Madeline Folgman, beating her 28-5 on points in the quarters.
The 25-year-old’s semi-final was a much closer affair, though. Russian Tatiana Kudashova pushed Jones close before she triumphed 21-16 to earn a shot at gold.
Jones used all her experience to get the better of Gomez in a nervy final, holding on to a two-point advantage to ensure her place on the top of the podium.
“I’m absolutely buzzing to win gold in Rome, the stadium was amazing, the fans were amazing with everyone cheering for me and it was a bit like the London Olympics,” said Jones.
“It was amazing to come out on top as the final was very close and I think I was one Gam-jeom away from being disqualified, but I kept my nerve, stayed calm and came away with the gold.”
She added: “When you win by fine margins it just makes things that much better.
“I've really started enjoying it again, you go through phases where you're expected to win all the time and you're scared of losing.
“Now I'm enjoying it and thriving of it and I think it shows.”
Team-mate Walkden showed her class in a last 16 with a 10-1 win against Canadian Nathalie Iliesco, before progressing to the last four with a 25-8 win over Estelle Vander-Zwalm, of France.
Despite her best efforts in the semi-final encounter, she bowed out against Kowalczuk, who triumphed 15-13 to leave Walkden with the bronze medal.
Meanwhile, Rachelle Booth was defeated in the quarter-finals of the -57kg category by Skylar Park, while Hassan Haider lost to Mikhail Artamonov 9-4 in the -58kg round of 32.
Bradly Sinden and Lauren Williams had already won bronze for Great Britain in their respective weight divisions on Friday. Sportsbeat 2018