Scots Miss Asia Aiming to be Swiss Hit!

June 5, 2014

Rio 2016 prospect Asia Bailey feared a cruciate knee ligament injury might finish her career
at the age of just 15.

But a bronze medal in her first senior European Championships in Azerbaijan last month was
proof Bailey's career is very much alive and kicking.

And the Falkirk born, Manchester based teenager credits Sarah Stevenson, Britain's only
female taekwondo world champion, for helping her through the dark days.

The Scottish prospect, still only 16, is part of a 13-strong GB Taekwondo squad, including
Olympic champion, Jade Jones, travelling to Lausanne for this weekend's Swiss Open.

Bailey tore her anterior ligament during a competition in Belgium last year, ruling her out of
the European Under 21 Championships in Moldova.

"When I was told the news, I thought I might never do taekwondo again," admitted the
2012 World Junior Championship bronze medallist. "I was so devastated.

"At first, I didn't know anyone who had suffered the same thing. But I realised Sarah had
been through it more than once, had the same operation and gone through the same rehab.

"She was a great help to me because she had been through the hard times mentally. At first,
the rehab was long and boring but once I got back to kicking and doing taekwondo time
went quickly.

"In all I was out of action for nine months. I was on a winning streak before the injury
happened and it has taken longer than I wanted to get it back.


"But my career is definitely going in the right direction," added Bailey, the first of Britain's
seven fighters to win a Euro medal in Baku.

"At the time I wasn't so pleased because obviously I like to win things. But I was the
youngest competitor there and probably no-one had gone from Junior Worlds to European
seniors like I had done.

"So, I am definitely proud of myself," added Bailey whose mum, Angie, and dad David
introduced her to taekwondo at the age of four and competed for the first time at eight.

"I loved it at first but then got bored because I wanted to go outside and play with friends. I
also used to play football at school and was a goalkeeper," laughed the Liverpool fan.

"Then I did gymnastics for four years but I was always going to do taekwondo with my
background."

The Swiss Open provides the first test for most British stars since the European
Championships, including silver medallist Jones.

London 2012 competitor, Martin Stamper, returns to action after missing selection for Baku
while it is another opportunity for some of last year's Fighting Chance Battle4Brazil intake,
including: Darren Chapman, Murdo Mackenzie and Danny Dowling, to make their mark on
the international stage.

SWISS OPEN SCHEDULE

Saturday, June 7:

Male:
-58kg: Darren Chapman (Northampton), Gurpreet Singh (Forest Gate, London)
-87kg: Murdo Mackenzie (Inverness)
+87kg: Mahama Cho (Stockwell, London), Lyle Walker (Law)

Female:
-57kg: Jade Jones (Flint)

Sunday, June 8:

Male
-63kg: Dominic Brookes (Manchester)
-68kg: Jordan Gayle (Manchester), Martin Stamper (Liverpool), Tony Stephenson (Bury)
-80kg: Danny Dowling (Exeter)

Female:
-46kg: Asia Bailey (Falkirk)
+73kg: Bianca Walkden (Liverpool)

For further information contact:

Nick Kelly (GB Taekwondo) nick.kelly@gbtaekwondo.co.uk or Trevor Baxter (Red and White
Media) +44 7768 846839