Fans get a kick out of medallists

BRITAIN secured at least six medals on the penultimate day of the Olympics and came agonisingly close in nerve-shredding finishes.

- Jerry Lawton and Tony Whitfield

Taekwondo star Caden Cunningham was guaranteed a silver at worst going into over-80kg men’s final last night.

Competing in his first Games, the 21-year-old from Huddersfield stunned Rio 2016 champion Cheick Sallah Cisse in his semifinal yesterday afternoon.

Asked how he would prepare for the final against Iran’s Arian Salimi, he said: “Chill, eat a banana, drink, smile and warm up.

“I plan to come out victorious, so happy days.”

And Georgia Bell took bronze in the women’s 1,500m final on a rousing last night of athletics in the Stade de France.

The middle-distance runner, 30, who works in cyber security in London, produced an electrifying finish in the home straight that nearly took the silver, with teammate Laura Muir finishing in fifth.

The gold went to Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon for a record-breaking third time.

Georgia, whose father is Channel 5 political editor Andy Bell, quit the track five years ago after suffering repeated injuries and falling out of love with athletics.

She made a comeback this year after starting running again during lockdown.

Georgia, born in Paris when her father was the correspondent for Radio 4’s Today programme, said: “I am over the moon, an Olympic medallist. I am just really happy.

“On the start line I was telling myself I was born for this, I was born in Paris.