HARRY Lovell-Hewitt finished seventh for Team GB in the boys’ -81kg at the Tbilisi European Youth Olympics.
Earlier, the Stroud Judo Club star was unlucky to pick up a minor penalty early in his fourth fight.
This meant he was denied a chance to fight for a bronze medal and had to settle for a well earned seventh place.
He said: “I started off quite well in the first fight and won via penal - ties but didn’t feel great before my second. I began that well but then allowed him to get too close and he countered me to win the fight.
“In the repechage I won my first two fights but was disappointed to lose the third. I felt I had the better of him and he wasn’t doing any - thing but also wasn’t penalised for it. The timer ran out and I lost due to an early penalty. In general though, I’m pleased with my perfor - mances over all the fights, especially when not feeling my best.
“I’ve felt like I’ve learnt a lot, particularly fighting against some of the top guys from the likes of Russia and Georgia. In Britain I feel very comfortable going toe-to-toe with anyone but here they’re so much stronger and I need to learn how to adapt better against these top guys.”
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