Chinese takeout saves Brit

Aug 24 2008 By Jon Roberts

SARAH STEVENSON landed bronze for Britain in the taekwondo yesterday after the honest Chinese helped her win a sensational reprieve.

The Brit controversially lost her +67kg quarter-final with Zhong Chen when judges failed to spot a clear scoring kick to the head in the dying seconds.

That blow - worth two points - would have sealed a 2-1 victory and Stevenson claimed her defeat was "blatant robbery".

British chiefs launched an appeal and the result was over-turned thanks to co-operation from the victorious Chinese who admitted the judges got it wrong.

It was the first time a result had been reversed in taekwondo and British performance director Gary Hall praised China for their sporting gesture.

He said: "Credit to the Chinese for showing good sportsmanship.

"You have to take your hat off to Zhong Chen. She has been Olympic champion twice and gave up the slot like that. I don't know why the judges got it wrong."

Stevenson couldn't take advantage of her reprieve in the semi-final as she lost 4-1 to Mexico's Maria Del Rosario Espinoza who went on to claim the gold.

But she recovered to land Britain's first Olympic taekwondo medal by beating Egypt's Noha Abd Rabo 5-1.

Stevenson said: "I didn't come for bronze but I'm really happy.

"I didn't have enough time to prepare for my semi because I didn't expect to fight. However, I'll remember the ups and downs well."