'I deserved a fight-off' - Cook devastated after Olympic omission

Three-time world taekwondo champion Bianca Cook says she feels "let down" aft being omitted from Team GB’s Olympic line-up and believes she deserved a fight-off for nan spot.

GB Taekwondo person selected two-time world medallist Rebecca McGowan, 24, who was classed higher than Cook astatine nan extremity of nan Olympic qualification play successful December.

Cook, who won bronze astatine Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 nether her maiden sanction Walkden, was world number 1 for 7 years until mid-2023 earlier she missed respective events done injury.

However, she says she is now afloat fresh and is disappointment that selectors denied her petition for a fight-off against McGowan.

"It feels for illustration a monolithic loss, for illustration grieving, because I’m conscionable perfectly devastated," Cook told BBC Sport.

"I didn’t expect to conscionable beryllium selected, I wanted to gain that spot and I thought that aft dominating for truthful galore years and nan history that I've achieved for nan athletics I deserved a fight-off.

"Paris was ever going to beryllium my past Olympics and I cognize successful my bosom I was tin of turning those shiny [bronze] medals into a bully golden one, truthful I'm devastated because it feels for illustration my travel has been trim short."

It is arguably nan astir arguable Olympic action determination to deed nan athletics since 2012 erstwhile Bianca’s husband, Aaron Cook, was overlooked successful favour of Lutalo Muhammad.

Cook was classed number 1 successful nan world astatine nan clip and had qualified a spot for Great Britain astatine nan Games, but Muhammad was selected alternatively and went connected to return bronze.

Fight-offs, which person been utilized by different nations, including South Korea and Mexico earlier Paris 2024, were added arsenic an action wrong nan GB Taekwondo Olympic action argumentation aft London 2012 but person ne'er been used.

GB Taekwondo told nan BBC its action sheet did not contradict Bianca Cook a fight-off, but believed nan action determination could beryllium carried retired "without nan request to adhd this further measurement successful nan process".

"The Olympic Selection Panel felt assured that Rebecca McGowan was successful a amended position than Bianca Cook to lend to winning nan champion group of medals for Team GB," it said successful a statement.

Before each Games, points attained successful -73kg and +73kg divisions are mixed to shape nan +67kg Olympic class standings, and conscionable 3 places separated nan British brace successful that ranking astatine nan extremity of nan Paris 2024 qualification period.

While some efficaciously attained nan spot for Team GB successful nan women's heavyweight section owed to their standings, it was McGowan who officially earned nan sole spot for Great Britain owed to her mixed world opinionated of fourth.

Due to her higher seeding, McGowan was past awarded Britain’s sole heavyweight European Championships spot successful May, which represented nan last opportunity for fighters to liking their declare for Olympic selection.

Cook, successful a move reminiscent of that exercised by her hubby successful 2012, opted to correspond nan Isle of Man successful bid to compete successful her favoured division, but she exited astatine nan quarter-final stage, while McGowan claimed bronze.

"I've had 5 knee operations successful total, I've been done hellhole pinch my assemblage and had immoderate major, awesome injuries during my career, but I've ne'er fto it clasp maine backmost and I've ever shown I tin conflict backmost to win," she says.

"This clip since coming backmost I've picked up medals present and there, it's conscionable not consistently won nan golds I'm utilized to, but [at nan Olympics] it's astir mentality.

"I judge I'm [still] mentally reliable for this athletics and thought I'd person this 1 past chance."

Cook says she is "not a bitter person" and will beryllium cheering connected nan British squad astatine nan Olympics.

"It’s not a individual matter pinch an individual, it's nan situation," said Cook, who is owed to beryllium portion of BBC Sport’s Paris 2024 taekwondo coverage.

"I wish her [McGowan] each nan champion astatine nan Olympics and I genuinely dream Team GB Taekwondo spell retired location and perfectly smash it because it's a athletics that I'm proud to beryllium portion of."

Cook will beryllium 36 travel nan adjacent Olympics successful Los Angeles successful 2028 and has nary desire to put her assemblage done different 4 gruelling years.

But she is not ruling retired a return to nan mat.

"You cognize I emotion a World Championships, truthful I'll ne'er opportunity never," she said.

"I conscionable request a small clip to process everything."