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Taekwondo star Lauren Williams in shock opening round exit

News, Sport | Rhys Williams | Published: 17:00, Wednesday May 22nd, 2019.

Lauren Williams has won her first World Grand Slam in China - and takes hom the £52,000 prize
Lauren Williams has been recovering from a broken leg

Two-time European champion Lauren Williams, who is from Blackwood, has suffered a shock opening round defeat at the World Taekwondo Championships in Manchester.

Williams, 20, lost 31-15 to Iran’s Kimia Hemati in the -67kg category, but later revealed she had only returned to full training last month after breaking her leg in February.

Williams told BBC Sport: “I’m just devastated.

“If I could explain my worst nightmare than that was it – I just lived it.

“The build-up has been just about recovery and although I felt good in the warm-up, I just wasn’t ready.”

On December 16, former world junior champion Williams won her division at the World Grand Slam, which was held in Wuxi, China.

Meanwhile, Jade Jones, who has previously been described by Williams as one of the reasons she got into the sport, won the competition.

It is the first world title for the Olympic champion, who is from North Wales.

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