Sarah Stevenson's guide to taekwondo

By Mark Barden

Stevenson wants an Olympic medal to complete her collection

Stevenson is expected to be named as one of the three taekwondo players Team GB will send to the Games in August, having secured a place for Britain with a silver medal at an Olympic qualification event last September.

She came close to winning an Olympic medal at the age of 17 in Sydney, but made an early exit from the 2004 Games in Athens.

"Going to my third Olympics would mean more to me if I'd actually won anything at the first two," the 2001 world champion told BBC Sport.

"Getting to the semi-finals in 2000 was a bit of a shock. There I was at this massive event, trying to get my head around it, and it was all a bit overwhelming.

"It was a lot better in Athens four years later, but things didn't go too well there. My first-round fight was a draw and they gave it to the other girl.

"I think I'd put too much pressure on myself. When you get to the Games, it's not all about your ability, it's about how mentally strong you are as well.

"When I was 17 I didn't really think about it all too much; I just fought and did what I was told. In some ways it's a bit easier when you're younger - you don't worry about things as much."

You hope for a good draw, but at the end of the day you've just got to go in there and fight everyone. Three wins, and you're in the final

Final selection for the GB taekwondo team is not revealed until 15 May, but performance director Gary Hall said: "If you look at Sarah's pedigree in international competitions, she's out in front at the moment."

Stevenson said: "I'm believe in my own ability, but I don't want to say I'm confident of getting a medal because I don't want to put that sort of pressure on myself.

"If selected for Beijing, I'm just going to go and enjoy the Olympics for what it is. I know what I can do and hopefully that will be good enough."

Stevenson earned a place for Team GB in China by reaching the +67kg semi-finals of the qualifying tournament in Manchester.

She opted not to contest the final to protect the hand she broke at the World Championships in May.

"It should have been alright by then, but I cracked the bone again in training and it wasn't fully recovered," Stevenson explained.

Stevenson (left) sealed an Olympic place for Team GB in Manchester

"I still get pain when it gets kicked and it bruises really easily - one of the bones in my hand is never going to be completely straight again."

Stevenson, who turns 25 in March, accepts that in a combat sport such as taekwondo, injuries are unavoidable.

"I had a knee reconstruction in 2003 and I was out of taekwondo for nine months," she said, recalling the low point of her career.

"Getting closer to a major event like the Olympics does make you a bit paranoid about injuries because you want to go into it 100% injury free, but I'm not sure that's possible.

"Everyone has tiny niggles because we train so much. As long as it's not a major injury, it doesn't bother me. It's the ones that interfere with training that are hard to deal with."

Ahead of Beijing, Stevenson will be competing at the Dutch and German Opens, as well as the Senior European Championships in April.

I'll be 29 in 2012 so if I wanted to go on until the London Games, I think I could. But I don't know what I'll be doing when I'm 29

"It's quite a busy year, but that's good because I haven't competed since September and I need to fight," said the former junior world and European champion.

If all goes to plan, her form and fitness will peak in Beijing - and they will need to if she is to shine in a tough weight division.

"They have different categories in the Olympics," Stevenson explained. "I normally fight at 67-72kg, but at the Games all the middleweights and heavyweights are together.

"You hope for a good draw, but at the end of the day you've just got to go in there and fight everyone. Three wins, and you're in the final."

Stevenson will be passing on Olympic tips to Tyrone Robinson, 20, and Aaron Cook, 16, who may travel to Beijing after securing places last month in the -58kg and -80kg divisions respectively.

606: DEBATE How do you think GB's taekwondo team will fare in Beijing?

"I really wanted other people to qualify as I didn't want to be the only British competitor in China - that would be a bit tough," she said.

"But looking at a young talent like Aaron makes me feel so old. It seems like yesterday when I was his age preparing for Sydney - it's gone so quickly."

Beyond Beijing, of course, there is the prospect of competing on home soil at the 2012 Games in London.

"I'll be 29 in 2012 so if I wanted to go on until then, I think I could. But I don't know what I'll be doing when I'm 29," Stevenson added with a laugh.

Sarah Stevenson is among the British athletes who BBC Sport will be following during the countdown to Beijing 2008.