The 23-year-old won gold in the under 68 kilograms division, earning a 3-2 victory in the final, against Spain's reigning European Junior champion, having transferred from kickboxing in 2013, as part of the Fighting Chance, Battle4Brazil initiative.

"It's great to get my first gold medal since coming through Fighting Chance," Stephenson said.

"The atmosphere was great and the team's positive support was superb.

"I couldn't have performed to the level I needed to without that."

The home nation also enjoyed success at the Open, as Sotirios Boutios overcame 16-year-old Josh Calland in the men's under 54kg event to win the division, while Julio Ferreira of Portugal - winner of the Trelleborg, Serbia and Croatia Opens in 2014 - started 2015 with gold in the under 74kg division.

Iran's 2013 World Championships silver medallist Sajjad Mardani also enjoyed victory, as the medals were spread across a variety of nations in the men's divisions, with Austria, Croatia, Germany and Italy among other nations to produce victors.

Sajjad Mardani was another winner in Greece ©Getty Images



The same could be said in the women's competition, with Serbia the only nation to win two gold medals, courtesy of Ana Bajic and Tijana Bogdanovic.

In the women's under 73kg contest, Poland's Aleksandra Kowalczuk defeated Great Britain's Bianca Walkden, who was returning from a second cruciate ligament injury of her career.

Marta Calvo Gomez of Spain and Iva Rados of Croatia took victory in the respective under 62 and 73kg  divisions, while Kyriaki Kouttouki of Cyprus and Anna-Lena Froemming of Germany were other nations to enjoy victories. 

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