BIANCA WALKDEN has had a spectacular year in Taekwondo after a string of excellent performances.
After Sarah Stevenson, the 26-year-old is only the second GB athlete to win gold in Taekwondo at the World Championships.
Who is Bianca Walkden?
Born and raised in Liverpool, Bianca began training in Taekwondo from the young age of 11.
When asked about how she got into it she said: “I was 11. I went out with my friend, Becky, to the Liverpool Elite club. She eventually quit, I didn’t.”
“It [Taekwondo] is so dynamic. There are unexpected elements. It’s not a boring sport.”
What did she win as a junior?
She became a junior at 15, winning bronze at the Junior European Championships in 2007.
Her young career went from strength to strength as she claimed the silver medal at the Junior World Champs a year later.
In 2010 Walkden won her first Gold medal in the European Championships.
What are her best achievements?
Her career came to a standstill after suffering a knee injury, forcing her to miss out on the 2012 Olympics.
After knee surgery, she went on to win European Gold again in 2014 and the highlights of her career being her World Championship win in 2015.
At Rio 2016, she added an Olympic medal to her illustrious collection, picking up bronze last year in Brazil.
Walkden successfully defended her heavyweight crown in South Korea this year before picking up back-to-back Grand Prix events.
When is the BBC Sports Personality of the Year?
SPOTY will take place on Sunday, December 17.
The Echo Arena in Liverpool will host the event this year.
The event will be shown live on BBC1 and live streamed on BBC’s website.
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