Bianca Walkden became a record-breaking three-time world champion in Manchester tonight (Friday).
The Liverpudlian heavyweight and world number one defeated Shuyin Zheng, the world number two, after her Chinese rival was disqualified in the +73kg final.
‘Queen B’ trailed 20-10 going into the closing minute but was awarded her latest crown when Zheng collected a 10th and final penalty point.
Both fighters were emotionally drained at the end; Walkden weeping tears of relief and Zheng crying in frustration at seeing a first world title snatched from her grasp in the most dramatic of circumstances.
“I genuinely did earn it in a different way,” said Walkden with the precious gold medal around her neck.
“People will say it’s not the right way to win. But a win is a win. It’s in the rules that you win if you disqualify someone.
“It’s not my fault I am so aggressive and I went at her. It’s not the shock people are making out; it’s happened many times.”
“I was going to give my soul to try and come out with a gold medal.
“If someone asked me to do the whole fight again, I would go out there and do the same fight again because I am standing here as world champion.”
The Sky’s the limit for Walkden’s GB Taekwondo teammate and double Olympic champion Jones after becoming the third Briton to reach a Manchester final.
Eight years after marking her senior world championship debut with a silver medal, Jones is into another -57kg final.
Standing between the 26-year-old and a coveted first world title is South Korea’s Ah-Reum Lee who defeated China’s Lijun Zhou 15-12.
The pair met in Muju two years ago with Lee winning 14-8 before going onto take the title.