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.

RexGreat Britain’s Caden Cunningham won silver in the men’s 80kg+ taekwondo final[/caption]

APCunningham lost out on gold to Iran’s Arian Salimi[/caption]

PACunningham won the first round 6-3[/caption]

PABut he then lost the second and third rounds 9-1 and 6-3[/caption]

PAIt was Iran’s second gold of the games, while it was Team GB’s 21st silver medal[/caption]

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.

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.

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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.”

It’s heartbreak for Rebecca McGowan

Narrowly missing out on a bronze medal in the women’s +67kg taekwondo.#BBCOlympics #Paris2024 #Olympics pic.twitter.com/Om9ok5vSVD

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) August 10, 2024