Muhammad (pictured top, in red) caused headlines when he was selected by GB Taekwondo for the -80kg division in place of major gold medal prospect Cook, but he failed to keep his harshest critics at bay as he lost his quarter-final 7-3 against Spain's Nicolas Garcia Hemme, an opponent Cook had beaten several times.

However, when the Spaniard reached the final Muhammad was duly given a shot at redemption by going forward to compete in a bronze medal match against Arman Yeremyan of Armenia.

Muhammad made no mistake this time round as he took an early lead that he never looked back from to take a 9-3 win.

The winner of the title was Argentina's Sebastian Crismanich. 

"I came here to win gold," said Muhammad.

"I understand that it is an opportunity that won't come round again, but I'm delighted to be walking away with a bronze medal."

Muhammad received hate mail in the aftermath of his Olympic nomination in place of Cook and while admitting some of the messages were hurtful he said he had blocked the episode out while competing.

"I wasn't focused on the controversy out there," he said.

"It has always been my dream to win gold but it was not meant to be today.

World champion Sarah Stevenson (left) was dumped out in the first round by American Paige McPherson

"Thank you very much for all the support.

"The home crowd was tremendous."

It was the second medal in as many nights for British taekwondo following teenager Jade Jones' stunning -57kg victory against China's world champion Yuzhuo Hou last night.

But there was not such good news elsewhere as the team's veteran Sarah Stevenson crashed out 5-1 in the first round against unheralded American Paige McPherson.

The Beijing 2008 bronze medallist had been in a race against time to make it to her fourth Olympics after tearing her anterior cruciate ligament in February but the 29-year-old from Doncaster was outclassed by her opponent in the -67kg bout.

McPherson, the 21-year-old Pan American Games silver medallist, was awarded two head shot scores for three points apiece in the third round but Stevenson appealed and was successful on both occasions.

However, she could not engineer a route back into the contest as McPherson showcased her defensive prowess.

A distraught Sarah Stevenson reacts emotionally after her Olympic dreams are shattered

Team GB's taekwondo pioneer then missed out on a shot at bronze as her conqueror failed to advance to the final, which was won by South Korea's Hwang Kyung-Seon.

"I tried my best and it has been hard," said Stevenson, who read the Athlete's Oath at the Opening Ceremony of these Olympics.

"I had to come here and go for it – I thought I could do it.

"The injury did not play a part today.

"It has been a mental fight every day for the last 18 months and I did my best."

Stevenson was referring to her parents, both of whom died of cancer last year.

"My mum and dad would have wanted me to be here and they would have been proud," she said.

"I would have been forgiven for sitting and crying in a corner but I am not a quitter."

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