[By NBC-1TV H. J Yook]MANCHESTER, United Kingdom (October 24, 2014) --- Serbia, Russia and Germany grabbed one gold medal each on the opening day of the 2014 WTF World Taekwondo Grand Prix Series 3 in Manchester, the United Kingdom on Oct. 24, 2014.

In the women's +67kg final match, Milica Mandic of Serbia, the gold medalist in the women’s +67kg at the 2012 London Olympic Games, defeated the Netherlands' Reshmie Oogink 7-4 to earn her country the gold medal. Mandic also took a prize money of $5,000.

Korea's In-jong Lee and Turkey's Asena Aydin had to settle for the bronze medal in the same female division.

Russia's Anastasiia Baryshnikova brushed aside a stiff challenge from Sweden's Elin Johansson to win the women's -67kg final match with a 5-2 victory for the gold medal and a prize money of $5,000.

In the female division, the bronze went to Azerbaijan's Farida Azizova and Turkey's Nur Tatar.

In the men's +80kg final match, Germany's Volker Wodzich beat Uzbekistan's Jasur Baykuziyev 3-1 to grab the gold medal and a prize money of $5,000. In the male category, the bronze went to Belarus' Arman-Marshall Silla and Iran's Sajjad Mardani.

A total of 236 athletes from 56 countries are competing at the Manchester Central Convention Complex for top honors in the Manchester Grand Prix event, which will continue until Oct. 26.

All semifinal and final matches are broadcast live by the BBC television.

For the first time ever at WTF-promoted event, PSS (protector and scoring system) head gears, or e-head gears, are used at the Manchester Grand Prix to ensure fair judging and refereeing.

For a better Field of Play (FOP) environment, only two athletes, two corner judges and a center referee are on the competition mat for the first time ever, while one corner judge and two coaches are positioned just behind A-boards set up just outside the mat.

An opening ceremony of the Manchester event will take place at the venue in the afternoon shortly before the kick-off of the semifinal and final competition session.

The second day of the competition, on Oct. 25, will feature three weight divisions: the women's -49kg, the men's -58kg and the men's -80kg.