• Taekwondo

Stevenson calls time on career

ESPN staff
April 23, 2013
Sarah Stevenson will now become a taekwondo high-performance coach for Britain © PA Photos
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Olympic taekwondo bronze medallist and double world champion Sarah Stevenson has confirmed her decision to retire from the sport with immediate effect.

Stevenson competed in four Olympic Games, and won the bronze medal at Beijing in 2008 after successfully appealing a controversial elimination and overcoming a serious ankle injury. The 30-year-old became the first ever British Taekwondo world champion in 2011, the same year both her parents passed away in quick succession, and will now become Britain's first female taekwondo high performance coach.

During the build-up to the 2012 London Games, Doncaster-born Stevenson suffered a cruciate ligament injury to her knee and has now decided to call time on her career.

"Retiring was a difficult decision," Stevenson told BBC Sport. "I wanted a break after the Olympics to see if I missed it. I didn't and I don't want to fight again.

"The last two years have clearly had a massive impact on my life and the taekwondo family knew what I came through to win at the 2011 Worlds, which has to make it one of my biggest highlights.

"After going through what I went through, I am proud to say I couldn't have done any more."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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