Yorkshire warrior Bradly Sinden welcomes favourite’s pressure at Taekwondo World Championships

The 20-year-old, who competes in the 68kg category, has won all three competitions he has entered this season and a fourth on home soil in Manchester would be the crowning moment.

It would also confirm his status as one of the rising stars of the GB programme, one that shot to prominence at Beijing in 2008 thanks to the exploits of another Doncaster athlete, Sarah Stevenson.

“When I was younger, I saw her winning bronze at Beijing (2008) and I thought to myself, that’s what I really want to do,” he said.

Two Olympic cycles later he was on the GB academy, training with the likes of Jade Jones (London and Rio Olympic gold medallist) and Lutalo Muhammad, bronze and silver medallist at the last two games.

“I joined the academy just before the Rio Olympics, and training with those guys since then has been amazing,” he said.

“Being alongside them, we’re all pushing each other on to bigger and better things every day.”

Jones is looking for her first world title while Bianca Walkden, another favourite this week, is eyeing a third global crown.

For Sinden, improving on the bronze medal he won at these championships two years ago is the aim.

“I recently watched fights back from around that time. Technically, I have improved loads but it’s more tactically how I approach certain situations in the ring that has helped me improve so much in the last couple of years.

“And I couldn’t have asked for a better start to the year.”