Jones bounced back from the disappointment of a quarter-final exit at the World Taekwondo Championships in Baku last week with a fine run to the women's under-57 kilograms final in the Stadio Nicola Pietrangeli at the Foro Italico, where she faced newly-crowned under-53kg world champion Nahid Kiyanichandeh of Iran.

The Briton, a gold medallist at London 2012 and Rio 2016, edged the first round 8-6 and the second 5-2 to triumph at the season-opening Grand Prix.

She had earlier beaten the United States' Faith Dillon 8-2 and 11-7 in the semi-finals, while Kiyanichandeh overcame South Korea's Kim Yu-jin on hit registrations in a deciding third round.

Dillon and Kim both took bronze medals.

Jones was joined by her compatriot Cunningham in the men's over-80kg in triumphing in the Italian capital.

Cunningham's first Grand Prix win came 8-4 and 14-7 against Uzbekistan's Nikita Rafalovich.

The podium was completed by China's Song Zhaoxiang, who lost a closely-fought semi-final to Cunningham despite taking a lead in the first round, and Croatia's Ivan Šapina, a runner-up at under-87kg in Baku who lost to Rafalovich.

Tokyo 2020 gold medallist Rashitov improved on a bronze at the World Championships with a Grand Prix victory in Rome in the men's under-68kg final against Hungary's Levente Józsa.

Rashitov triumphed 7-3 and 7-0 in the final for his first gold at a Grand Prix.

Bronze medals went to under-74kg world champion Marko Golubić, who withdrew from his semi-final against Rashitov, and Greece's Konstantinos Chamalidis who was thrashed by Józsa.

Chamalidis had come from behind to beat under-68kg world champion Bradly Sinden of Britain in the round of 16.

The Grand Prix is due to continue tomorrow with competition in the women's under-67kg and over-67kg and the men's under-58kg.