A WILTSHIRE physiotherapist has fought her way to two bronze medals at the 12th World TaeKwonDo International Championships in Birmingham.

Twenty-two-year-old Georgia Walker took joint third place in the ladies black point stop and continuous light heavyweight divisions at the championships, organised by the TaeKwonDo Association of Great Britain.

She said: “I sparred some brilliant fighters and secured two bronze medals. The elation and feeling of success was phenomenal.

“It’s beyond anything I thought I was capable of and I can’t wait for the rest of the year to follow with the Southern and British Championships looming.”

Georgia, of Highfield Close, Semington, works as a Physiotherapy Technical Instructor at the Royal United Hospital in Bath. She started her TaeKwonDo in November 2003 at the age of seven with her brother, James, who was then aged five.

She trains under Andrew Tombling, a 7th Degree Master at Melksham and Frome TaeKwonDo clubs and achieved 1st degree black belt status in October 2010 before gaining a promotion to 2nd degree black belt status in October 2013.

Georgia said: “This sport has become a big part of my life, something I carried on through university and until now.

“I only started competing eight years ago, first entering the South West Championships, and I came away without a medal but learnt so much and wanted to continue competing.”

In 2015 at the Welsh Championships Georgia came away with a badly broken nose and stopped sparring for 12 months.

“Having got back to sparring again, I love it more than before. Earlier this year I returned to the Welsh Championships in Cardiff, facing a tough category and won silver.

“I couldn’t have been happier with the result and with this new confidence I took the opportunity to compete at the World TaeKwonDo International Championships on July 21 and 22.”

She added: “I’m now aiming for promotion to 3rd degree black belt; something I’ve set my sights on for the last five years. I am looking forward to my future with the sport.”

Her parents, Chris and Diane Walker, said: “Although surprised Georgia achieved such success in the recent TaeKwonDo International Championships, it’s only testament to her years of commitment and hard work.

“We’re very proud of how she always gives more than most and her resilience never falters even through tough times.”