Liverpool duo claim Taekwondo gold at Spanish Open
Martin Stamper wins gold at the Spanish Open Credit: Nick Potts/PA Archive/Press Association Images
British Taekwondo fighters Martin Stamper and Bianca Walkden won gold at the Spanish Open in Alicante, where London 2012 Olympians Lutalo Muhammad and Jade Jones claimed bronze medals.
Stamper, who just missed out on a podium finish last summer, scored a narrow 2-0 win over Russian Vladimir Kim in the under-68kgs final.
Fellow Liverpudlian Walkden, meanwhile, beat Gwladys Epangue on the referee's verdict after their over-73kg final was locked at 6-6 after sudden death score.
Bianca Walkden wins gold at the Spanish Open Credit: Nick Potts/PA Archive/Press Association Images
Muhammad, in his first competition since winning a bronze medal at the Olympics, lost his under-87kg semi-final to Mahdi Khodabakhshi of Iran.
Olympic champion Jones, meanwhile, also reached the last four of her weight division, but went down 13-7 to home favourite Eva Gomez.
The British squad are set to compete at the World Championships in Puebla, Mexico in July.
GB Taekwondo team searches for new stars in Manchester
Just three months since the Olympics finished, Great Britain's Taekwondo team, which lives and trains in Manchester, has started the search for future medallists.
The squad brought back one gold and one bronze to the North West from London and now they want to unearth more hidden talent.
Liverpool's Martin Stamper lost his semi final clash with Turkey's Servet Tazegul in his Taekwondo semi final.
It was 9-6 when the Team GB fighter traded blows. Despite Stamper's best efforts it was not to be but he can still get a medal and will fight later for a bronze.
