Bianca Cook more motivated than ever for one last shot at Olympic gold in Paris

Bianca Cook is determined to ensure a “fairy tale ending” to her taekwondo career by erasing her Olympic heartbreak in Paris next year.

The 31-year-old, who was forced to settle for heartbreaking bronze medals in both Rio and Tokyo, has confirmed that next year’s Games in the French capital will be her last.

Cook, who married long-time partner and fellow taekwondo champion Aaron Cook last year, lost to China’s Shuyin Lee in the semifinals in 2016 on a golden point and then lost to a head kick in the 2016 semifinals. last second against Dabin Lee in Tokyo.

But she insists that after brushing off her latest disappointment, she’s more motivated than ever to complete her glittering career on top.

“He’s definitely the last one I’m going to go for, so I’m going to give it everything I’ve got,” Cook told the PA news agency.

“All I have in mind is getting to Paris and winning that gold. I know I’m still good enough and if I can end my career with a gold medal in Paris it would be a fairytale ending.”

Meanwhile, Cook hopes to make more history in her sport by becoming the first woman to win four world taekwondo titles in Baku, Azerbaijan, later this month.

Cook won back-to-back gold medals in Chelyabinsk, Muju and Manchester between 2015 and 2019, but fell short of four in a row when he missed the 2022 tournament in Guadalajara due to injury.

“I never thought I would be in a position to make history after missing the last one, so it’s a huge motivation to become the only woman to have four gold medals,” Cook added.

“Making history is the kind of thing that pushes you through another cycle because for me it’s about that Olympic gold, I’d give anything else for that right now.

“But I don’t feel like I’m chasing anything. I could go to Paris having won four world and five European titles, so I’ve already achieved more than I ever dreamed of in this sport.

“Paris would be the happy ending, but if I didn’t get it, I wouldn’t try again to get to the next one.”

Great Britain’s 11-member World Championship squad also includes double Olympic champion Jade Jones and Cook’s Tokyo medalists Lauren Williams and Bradly Sinden.