Jones and Calvo are ranked number one and two on the WTF Olympic ranking respectively in the under 57 kilogram category and it showed, as a high quality contest saw nothing between both athletes after three rounds with the score locked at 1-1.

The contest went into a fourth golden point round and it was the Spaniard who secured the decisive move to take the gold and secure the $5,000 (£3,000/€3,800) winner's cheque.

"I came here for the gold so obviously I am gutted," said 21-year-old Jones, who will chase a first Grand Prix in Manchester next month.

"But I feel like I have improved a lot.

"Anything can happen with golden point.

"I thought my punch was solid but I am chuffed with my improvements going towards Rio [2016 Olympic Games].

"Eva has become a great rival and this time she was the better fighter on the day.

"Hopefully, though, I can make it third time lucky in Manchester.

"I will go back to the gym now and work hard.

"There's still two years to Rio and I know there is a lot more in the tank."

South Korea's So-hee Kim and Sweden's Nikita Glasnovic took home the bronze medals.

Olympic champion Jade Jones had to make to do with silver at the WTF Grand Prix in Astana ©Steve Flynn/GB Taekwondo



In the day's other final, Russian Alexey Denisenko completely dominated in the men's under 68kg final, needing only two rounds to secure a 13-0 win over Mark Lopez of the United States.

Denisenko is ranked third on the WTF Olympic standings and had too much class for 22nd ranked Lopez at the Daulet Sporting Complex in the Kazakhstan capital.

Spaniard Jose Antonio Rosillo Atencia and Iran's Behnam Asbaghikhanghah won the bronze medals.

The next stop on the Grand Prix Series is due to be in the Manchester Central Arena from October 24 to 26, followed by the Series final in Querétaro, Mexico, in December.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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