Lauren Williams got here agonisingly near capping magic Monday – however fell to a staggering late onslaught from Croatia’s Matea Jelic.
The Welsh 22-year-old was up by six factors with 19 seconds left and three factors with 14 seconds to go however Jelic’s medical assault noticed her opponent snatch the gold from her grasp.
Ultimately, the margin of victory was 25-22, however Williams did all the things bar end a nervewracking contest off.
Lauren Williams reacts after struggling defeat within the ladies’s -67kg taekwondo ultimate
Williams was seen off by an agonising late fightback by Matea Jelic of Croatia who took gold
Williams shares a hug with Jelic having been pressured to accept a silver medal in Tokyo
Staff GB had earlier gained three golds on a memorable day within the Japanese capital, with Adam Peaty sealing 100m breaststroke glory, divers Tom Daly and Matty Lee triumphing within the synchronised 10m platform and Tom Pidcock blowing away the sphere to complete first within the cross nation mountain biking.
However Williams, within the -67kg class, fell desperately quick, regardless of a heroic efficiency towards the favorite.
‘It’s not sufficient,’ she mentioned within the instant aftermath. ‘I do know it’s not sufficient, I had her with ten seconds to go. I tousled, I made a mistake and it’s on me.‘I didn’t go on the market to lose, I went on the market to win, I attempted my greatest in that state of affairs and it simply didn’t occur on the day. I’m very proud of how I carried out all day, it’s gutting within the final ten [seconds]. However an Olympic silver medal, it’s not unhealthy is it?
It actually shouldn’t be.
The 2 fighters take pleasure in a superb relationship and have sparred commonly in latest instances
Williams had been in entrance by three factors with simply 14 seconds remaining within the ultimate spherical
I’ve not had the very best preparation in any respect,’ Williams added. ‘However that’s not an excuse, I felt good coming right here as we speak, I’ve had accidents, I got here out to the Video games late as nicely which broken my prep.
‘However as quickly as I acquired right here, I hit the bottom working and I used to be fairly assured going into as we speak, so I’m comfortable.’
Williams is early in her profession and he or she ought to problem once more in Paris, and once more in Los Angeles. For now she was left to mirror on a staggering debut.
‘It’s been completely loopy,’ she mentioned. ‘For my first Olympic Video games, it’s been insane. An excellent expertise, and because of The Nationwide Lottery for getting me out right here, I wouldn’t be right here with out you.‘ A giant thanks to the individuals at residence. It’s been an excellent day.’
The Welsh fighter led for a lot of the competition however couldn’t see off the favorite on Monday
The 22-year-old shares a dialogue together with her coach throughout time-out on the ultimate
Earlier within the day, Williams had overcome Ivory Coast’s Ruth Gbagbi 24-18 to e-book her spot within the ultimate. She then had a gruelling wait of shut to 5 hours forward of the gold medal conflict.
Williams’s journey to the Olympics included a keep in a cell residence. On the age of 14 she moved from Blackwood to Manchester to coach with Nice Britain’s taekwondo group at their HQ.
Due to her age, she was too younger to remain in digs and so as an alternative lived together with her mom within the household’s caravan, sleeping on sofas. She was impressed by Jade Jones’s taekwondo gold at London 2012 whereas in one other caravan on a household vacation.
Jones, who made a shock early exit, was within the area to look at the drama unfold. The Welsh woman’s preparation for Tokyo has not been orthodox, to say the least.
Williams connects with a kick to the top in an nicely contested Olympic ultimate in Tokyo
Williams has fought again from a collection of latest accidents to beautifully attain the Olympic ultimate
Final yr, her household had been evacuated from the household residence on VE Day when her dad, Allan, found a suspected bomb whereas doing a spot of gardening. The alarm noticed three streets evacuated, with socially-distanced celebrations to mark the seventy fifth anniversary of the tip of World Struggle II briefly halted earlier than the bomb was discovered to be an previous fence publish.
Williams turned her people’ lounge right into a gymnasium after transferring again to South Wales initially of lockdown and joked that she destroyed ornaments within the build-up to Japan.
On an emotional night time, everybody was left in items.
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