Michael_Harvey_head_and_shouldersMay 6 - Michael Harvey won a silver medal after a courageous effort at the Taekwondo World Championship at the Gyeongju Arena in South Korea to take Britain's total to four.


The 21-year-old from Cheshire lost 5-2 in the final of the -63 kg division to home favourite, Lee Dae Hoon.

But Harvey, forced to drop a weight to compete in Gyeongju, said:"I gave a good performance.

"He was just better than me and there isn't much more I could have done.

"The first two rounds were fairly even and I had a chance with one kick.

"But while I am disappointed I would have taken silver before I came out here.

"Watching my team matches earlier in the week boosted my confidence and to come away from a World Championship with four medals, you can't moan about that."

Harvey, just 17 when he competed at the Beijing Olympics Games, defeated Asian Games gold medallist, Le Huynh Chau of Vietnam, to reach the final.

Against Hoon, he trailed 2-1 going into the final round after the Korean successfully appealed one of the Briton's second round head shots.

And despite his best efforts and having to chase the contest, Harvey went down 5-2.

His silver emulated the achievement of Jade Jones in the -57kg division while Britain's other medals came from Sarah Stevenson, who gold in the -67kg, and Martin Stamper, bronze in the -68kg bronze.

"To get four medals in 10 events is just incredible," said Gary Hall, Britain's performance director.

"If anyone had said before we came out here we'd win four then I would have taken it any day of the week.

"For Michael to get silver after a pretty poor year by his standards was superb.

"It was a great performance."

Hall nominates the two men's and two women's Olympic weight categories for London on May 11.

"In my own mind, it's more clear now than when I came out," he explained.

"We know roughly how it's going to go but everyone will know next Wednesday."


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May 2011: Teenage sensation Jones takes silver on World Championships debut in South Korea
May 2011: Emotional world taekwondo victory for Stevenson