Team GB taekwondo star Caden Cunningham in heartbreaking defeat as he takes silver in Paris Olympics 2024 final
CADEN CUNNINHAM took Taekwondo silver after a fight to the finish with Iran’s Arian Salimi.
The 21-year-old from Huddersfield knew he had the chance to become GB’s first male Olympic gold medal winner after a dramatic day of action at the historic Grand Palais in the very heart of Paris.
And he gave it everything in a rollercoaster contest that had the fans inside the hall off their feet in excitement.
Cunningham drew first blood, two trunk kicks landing either side of him taking a sole to the head.
The Yorkshireman was on the front foot, forcing two penalties from his Iranian opponent to ensure he took the first round 6-3.
It meant he was only two minutes away from British Taekwondo history.
But after a quiet first minute of the second round, Salimi landed to the head, opening up a three point gap which he then extended to win 9-1 and take it to a decisive third round.
With the crowd stamping and roaring, Salimi scored with a kick to the trunk with less than 30 seconds to go.
And while Cunningham threw himself to try to win, he took a kick to the head, allowing the Iranian to run down the clock and take gold by 6-3.
Reacting to his defeat, Cunningham told the BBC: “[The contest] It was very good, very fun.
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“[I’ve] Got a lot of respect for the athlete here, like me once the match starts he’s ready to kill and then outside of that he’s a very nice guy.
“A genuine fighter, but I’ve got no problem losing if a man’s better than me on the day and that’s what he was so I’m gutted I didn’t get the gold for myself, for my coach and for my family and Britain.
“However, I’m very proud to be here.”
He added: “I want to see my dad, he’s who I decided about the Olympics with, I told my mum when I was very young, that’s why I have to see them and give them a hug. I hope they’re proud of me.
“I’ve got to be [positive]. I’m 21, I tore my ACL not long ago, I’ve got the best physio in the world, I came back very quickly.
“So to qualify for this was hard enough as it was. To come and beat three Olympic champions, three Olympic medallists and then such an amazing fighter like that, it’s a blooming good day.”
Asked about his Olympic future, he said: “It’s the start of whatever I want. I work very hard, if I choose something else I choose something else and I’ll master it.
“If I stay in this I’ll be king of taekwondo for the next four years, no problem.
“One fight doesn’t define me as a fighter. Everyone watched that and I’m sure they knew I was a strong fighter but I didn’t get the result.”
Cunningham’s disappointment came just minutes after Scotland’s Rebecca McGowan lost her bronze play-off against Turkey’s Nafia Kus Aydin despite taking the first round.
McGowan admitted: “It’s gutting, heart-breaking.
“My heart has broken twice today. I’m really proud of myself that I was able to pick myself up and fight the way I did.”