Students from local taekwondo clubs will all be supporting world number one and double world champion Bianca Walkden in BBC Sports Personality of the Year this weekend.

Proud Scouser Bianca is the first taekwondo athlete to make the final of SPOTY, which will be televised live from the Liverpool Echo Arena on Sunday evening.

Bianca and her boyfriend Aaron Cook, the current world no3 who formerly represented the Isle of Man, recently provided an Olympic sparring training day for students in the island.

A total of five clubs took part: Manx Tigers, Tynwald, Southern, Flying Phoenix and Ace Taekwondo. The sessions covered various aspects of the Olympic and Commonwealth combat sport.

The elite duo put students of all ages through their paces with some innovative warm-ups and reaction training, before finishing the day with sparring.

The clubs are joining up early next year for another sparring day at which selections will be made for a cycle of one-on-one development matches in the island. Students will be paired up based on weight, age and experience.

The event was organised by the Isle of Man Taekwondo Association, the official World Taekwondo body for the island.

Association president Richard Halsall stated: ’We are privileged to have amazing contacts in taekwondo and were honoured to host Aaron and Bianca here in the island.

’Straight after the event Bianca was placed in the final of SPOTY and then went to Africa and became the first taekwondo athlete to win four Grand Prix events in a year.

’She was then awarded World Taekwondo female athlete of the year and Aaron won the kick of the year award.

’We wish her the best with SPOTY this weekend and in the Grand Slam in China at the end of the month. They have both promised to come back next year.’

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