The idea is for the two bodies to share expertise and support talented karate athletes in achieving their potential.

BKF athletes will be given access to the training facilities, medical and performance analysis expertise available at the National Taekwondo Centre in Manchester.

With five medals from the last two Olympic Games, including double gold for Jade Jones, GBTKD's World Class Performance programme boasts a track record for success at major international tournaments.

The Welshwoman is the 2012 and 2016 Olympic gold medallist in the women's 57 kg category. 

In 2012, she won Britain's first taekwondo Olympic gold medal in this category.

British success in the sport was again underlined when Bianca Walkden retained her title and four team-mates won medals at this year's World Taekwondo World Championships in South Korea.

GBTKD performance director Gary Hall believes that karate athletes like world champion Jordan Thomas can benefit from the Manchester facility.

Thomas, from Luton, took gold in the Kumite -67 kg weight at the World Karate Championships in Linz last year.

"What we want to do with this new initiative is add to Jordan's further progress, as well as other karate athletes," said Hall.

"That progress involves qualification for Tokyo 2020 and ultimately bringing home a medal."

He sees parallels between karate's development plans and taekwondo's own growth from humble beginnings in Loughborough, Leicestershire.

"Britain has a good pedigree in karate and the inclusion in the Olympic programme for Tokyo is likely to act as a catalyst for further growth for karate.

"When we started to build taekwondo, Sarah Stevenson had just become our first ever senior world champion.

"So, we built a small programme around Sarah and this is a similar story with Jordan and karate.

"Now, we have the experience and expertise and that's why this could grow into something pretty special."