JADE STRIKES GOLD

‘Headhunter’ Jones back among the medals after triumph at Taekwondo Grand Prix

WALES’ double Olympic champion Jade Jones has secured her first major title of 2017 by winning the World Taekwondo Grand Prix in London, while world champion Bianca Walkden picked up her third event win of the year.

Jones, 24, beat world champion Ah-Reum Lee 31-14 of South Korea in the -57kg final, while Walkden, 26, overcame Poland’s Aleksandra Kowalczuk 20-7 in the +67kg final at the Copper Box.

“It feels amazing,” said Jones. With five medals, it is Britain’s most successful Grand Prix.

Lauren Williams won -67kg gold, Bradly Sinden -68kg silver and Mahama Cho +80kg bronze on Friday.

Britain’s previous best haul of four medals came at the inaugural event in Manchester in 2013.

Flint-based Jones was competing in the capital for the first time since claiming her maiden Olympic title at London 2012.

She took time out of the sport after defending her Olympic title at Rio 2016 to take part in television programme such as Channel 4’s The Jump.

Jones won bronze at this year’s World Championships – she lost to Lee in the semifinals – and claimed silver at the most recent Grand Prix in Morocco in September.

“Beating the girl that beat me at the World Championships, it’s a nice feeling,” Jones told BBC Sport.

“It’s an incredible feeling, just walking in London and seeing all the places that bring back the memories and seeing all of my family and friends in the crowd cheering me on. I couldn’t lose with them watching.”

Jones wasn’t the only Welsh woman enjoying a golden moment this weekend; Elinor Barker, along with teammate Ellie Dickinson won gold in the madison on the final day of the European Track Championships in Berlin. For more details, turn to page 16.