Lauren Williams Strikes Gold At European Taekwondo Championships Again

Lauren Williams defied an injury to retain her European Taekwondo Championship title in Russia.

The 19-year-old from Blackwood won the -67kg category in Kazan 24 hours after fellow Welsh fighter Jade Jones had already struck gold.

Williams announced her arrival as a top-class competitor when she won in Switzerland two years ago.

Now she has proved she will be a major contender at the Olympic Games in Tokyo in two years time.

“It hasn’t sunk in yet,” said Williams after claiming Britain’s third gold of the championships.

“I picked up an injury in the semi-final and that was my focus,” added the champion.

“So, I haven’t celebrated or enjoyed it as much as I should. But I am sure I will wake up buzzing.

“In the final I was restricted because of the injury so I just had to do what I could to get the win.

“It wasn’t the best I have ever performed but I got the job done in the end.” 

After a first round bye, Williams defeated Portugal’s Sofia Cruz 33-13 before knocking out Poland’s Anika Godel-Chelmecka 13-10.

Italian Daniela Rotolo was brushed aside 26-14 in the last four before she took gold despite the injury  with a 14-11 win over Turkey’s Nur Tatar, a double Olympic medallist and a world championship winner last year.