Great Britain got off to a flying start at the 2026 World Taekwondo Women’s Open Championships in Taiyuan, China, as Lauren Williams claimed gold in the women’s +73kg category, the final title decided on the opening day of competition.
A Statement Win Over Iran
Williams, competing in the heaviest of the eight women’s weight divisions, defeated Iran’s Hana Zarrinkamar Roudbari, a two-time junior world champion, in the gold-medal final to complete a superb day for the British team. It was a result that underlined Williams’ continued status among the best in the world at +73kg, coming just months after she took bronze in the same category at the 2025 World Taekwondo Championships in Wuxi.
The Welsh fighter, born in Blackwood near Caerphilly, has long been one of Britain’s standout combat sports talents. She first came to prominence with silver in the women’s -67kg category at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, and has since built an impressive record across weight categories, including European gold medals and multiple Grand Prix victories.
Record-Breaking Championships
Williams’ gold came on day one of a landmark event for the sport. Taiyuan 2026 has drawn a record 391 athletes from 58 countries, along with the World Taekwondo Refugee Team, making it the largest edition yet of the Women’s Open Championships, a competition first launched to showcase elite female talent across all eight Olympic weight divisions.
She was one of three fighters to win gold on the opening day, alongside Morocco’s Farah Touzani in the -46kg category and China’s Zinuo Shen at -62kg. The championships, running from 28 to 30 August at the Shanxi Sports Centre, concludes with two further weight categories on the final day.
A Proud Moment for GB Taekwondo
Williams’ victory extends a proud history of British success on the world stage in taekwondo, a sport in which Britain has consistently produced Olympic and world medallists over the past decade. Her win in Taiyuan is a timely reminder of the strength and consistency of the GB Taekwondo programme as the sport looks ahead to the next Olympic cycle.
Result: Women’s +73kg Final
- GOLD Lauren Williams — Great Britain
- SILVER Hana Zarrinkamar Roudbari — Iran
The 2026 World Taekwondo Women’s Open Championships took place from 28–30 August in Taiyuan, China.
Main Image: For illustration purposes.
