WALTHAMSTOW WARRIOR LUTALO CLAIMS HISTORIC OLYMPIC BRONZE

Lutalo Muhammad ensured GB Taekwondo's best ever Olympic Games with a first ever medal in the men's weight divisions.

The 21-year-old Londoner added a brave bronze at -80kg-to the glorious gold for Jade Jones 24 hours earlier.

Shrugging off a quarter-final defeat to Spanish silver medallist, Nicolas Garcia Hemme, Muhammad fought his way through two repechage bouts to stand on the podium in front of the home fans.

And the unassuming European champion received a rousing ovation from the ExCel crowd who rose to acclaim a new hero.

"We don't normally get a second chance in regular taekwondo tournaments," explained happy Muhammad who certainly made the most of his extra life starting with a 9-6 victory over Iran's double former world champion, Yousef Karami in his first repechage bout.

"So, once my coach-Joseph Salim-had me mentally focused I thought there is no way I am going to miss this opportunity," he said.

"It was a second chance and I didn't feel like losing twice in one night," he grinned after an impressive 9-3, bronze winning success over Armenian, Arman Yeremyan.

"Joseph just told me this bronze medal chance is like your gold medal so treat it like that.

"That got me in the right state mentally. It's not the colour I wanted but I fought hard for it and I am very happy."

Muhammad's bronze was watched by dad Wayne, the man who introduced him to the sport as a three-year-old, and Mancunian mum, Marcia.

"I think I could hear her screaming above the noise," he laughed. "But the crowd was fantastic and I am not sure I would have been able to do it without them."

Sadly, world champion Sarah Stevenson finished empty handed at her fourth Olympics.

A Games that started so promisingly when selected to read out the athletes' oath at the opening ceremony ended in disappointment.

Stevenson, who won Britain's first ever taekwondo medal at Beijing four years ago, lost her first bout to American and eventual bronze medallist, Paige McPherson.

"I thought I could do it but the injury didn't play a part," she insisted when questioned about the cruciate knee ligament injury that threatened her Games appearance last February..

"It's been a mental fight every day for the last 18 months and I did my best.

"My mum and dad would have wanted me to be here and they would have been proud.

"I would have been forgiven for sitting and crying in a corner. But I am not a quitter."

Stevenson introduced a self imposed block on social networking sites in the build-up to London 2012..

But she returned to Twitter last night telling her 7,100 followers:"Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who has supported me. I did my best. I have no regrets.

"Now me, my husband and family can rest, move on and keep inspiring others!"