Monday, August 31, 2009

Two more Brits win gold

Michael Harvey and Stevens Barclais
Harvey beat Frenchman Stevens Barclais in front of a home crowd

Great Britain followed Sarah Stevenson's success with two more golds at the British Taekwondo Championships.

Mancunian Michael Harvey beat Frenchman Stevens Barclais 7-3 to win the -63kg category at Manchester Regional Arena.

And Liverpool's Bianca Walkden beat fellow Brit Stephanie Allen 4-2 to repeat her victory of 2008.

"With the World Championships coming up in October, it was an important part of our preparation for the team," said Sport Taekwondo UK boss Andrew Link.

The World Championships, which begin in Denmark on 9 October, will use the same new electronic scoring system which was employed in Manchester, a year after Stevenson was almost denied a medal in Beijing.

"I felt pretty comfortable with the new electronic scoring and it didn't effect me too much," said Harvey.

"Obviously there will be a few kicks that don't register but I think it's the same as before when some things weren't seen."

In the same weight category, Jordan Gayle was disappointed with his quarter-final loss to Spain's Javier Marron Jimenez.

He was adjudged to have made an illegal contact to the face and was disqualified while leading the match 12-4.

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