05 MAY 2012 - MANCHESTER, GBR - Aaron Cook (GBR) of Great Britain prepares to be photographed with his gold medal after beating Ramin Azizov of Azerbaijan to win the men's -80kg final in the 2012 European Taekwondo Championships at Sportcity in Manchester, Great Britain (PHOTO (C) 2012 NIGEL FARROW)
3rd to 6th May 2012 – Sportcity, Manchester, Great Britain
Great Britain’s Aaron Cook retained his European -80kg taekwondo title when the final took a dramatic twist in the last second.
05 MAY 2012 - MANCHESTER, GBR - Ramin Azizov (AZE) (on right in red) of Azerbaijan tangles with Aaron Cook (GBR) of Great Britain (on left in blue) during the men's 2012 European Taekwondo Championships -80kg category final at Sportcity in Manchester, Great Britain (PHOTO (C) 2012 NIGEL FARROW)
Trailing to world ranked number one Ramin Azizov of Azerbaijan for most of the contest he was losing 11-9 with only three seconds left. Then a typically frantic Cook attack to attempt to at least tie the match caused Azizov to leave the ring, an offence deemed serious enough by the referee to warrant a gam-jeom penalty for the Azerbaijan. Resulting in his disqualification, Cook took the 2012 title in one of the four categories to be contested in this summer’s Olympics.
05 MAY 2012 - MANCHESTER, GBR - Aaron Cook (GBR) of Great Britain talks with his national team coach, Joseph Salim, after winning the men's 2012 European Taekwondo Championships -80kg category final at Sportcity in Manchester, Great Britain against Ramin Azizov of Azerbaijan when the referee penalised Azizov for stepping out of the field of play in the final second of the last round to give Cook the title .(PHOTO (C) 2012 NIGEL FARROW)
Both competitors looked stunned. With the buzzer having almost immediately sounded for the end of the round Cook had left the mat as both competitors prepared for a golden point round. Despite Cook then attempting to console his rival, Azizov looked inconsolable as the Briton’s supporters celebrated their competitors first win over the Azerbaijan.
05 MAY 2012 - MANCHESTER, GBR - Ramin Azizov (AZE) of Azerbaijan reacts to his loss to Great Britain's Aaron Cook in the men's 2012 European Taekwondo Championships -80kg category final at Sportcity in Manchester, Great Britain after the referee penalised Azizov for stepping out of the field of play in the final second of the last round to give Cook the title (PHOTO (C) 2012 NIGEL FARROW)
“I was so fortunate to get him out of the ring right at the end” said Cook.
“I have lost three times to him so to beat him is so sweet”
Cook’s win followed that by fellow Briton Michael Harvey in the -63kg final earlier in the evening. The Mancunian secured his first European title after the referee stopped the final against Vasileios Gaitainis of Greece in the last round with the score at 14-2.
05 MAY 2012 - MANCHESTER, GBR - Men's -63kg category winner, Michael Harvey (GBR) of Great Britain, leaves the podium after the medal ceremony at the 2012 European Taekwondo Championships at Sportcity in Manchester, Great Britain .(PHOTO (C) 2012 NIGEL FARROW)
Along with Lutalo Muhammad’s gold in the -87kg final and bronze for both Martin Stamper and Amir Badr, these two golds resulted in the host nation’s team topping the men’s championship rankings.
04 MAY 2012 - MANCHESTER, GBR - Lutalo Muhammad (GBR) of Great Britain (in red on right) launches an attack on Augustin Bata of France during the men's 2012 European Taekwondo Championships -87kg category final at Sportcity in Manchester, Great Britain .(PHOTO (C) 2012 NIGEL FARROW)
Muhammad having come back from 10-1 down in his quarter final against Nikola Bojo of Croatia to win 12-11 on golden point paid tribute to the support from his coach Joseph Salim.
“Joseph told me ‘no matter what is happening, don’t give up’”
04 MAY 2012 - MANCHESTER, GBR - Lutalo Muhammad (GBR) of Great Britain (left) listens to his national team coach Joseph Salim before the men's -87kg category final against Augustin Bata of France during the 2012 European Taekwondo Championships at Sportcity in Manchester, Great Britain (PHOTO (C) 2012 NIGEL FARROW)
Earlier in the Championships the women’s +73kg final also came to a startling conclusion when Rosanna Simon Alamo of Spain was disqualified for multiple penalties whilst one point ahead of Anne Caroline Graffe of France.
04 MAY 2012 - MANCHESTER, GBR - Anne Caroline Graffe (FRA) of France (right) watches as Rosanna Simon Alamo (ESP) (left) is given a warning by the referee during the women's 2012 European Taekwondo Championships +73kg final at Sportcity in Manchester, Great Britain (PHOTO (C) 2012 NIGEL FARROW)
A 7-4 win over reigning champion Edina Kotsis of Hungary in the women’s -57kg final gave Floriane Liborio of France the title in the second of the categories to be contested by hosts Great Britain at London 2012 with the Turkish duo of Servet Tazegul in the men’s -68kg and Nur Tatar in the women’s -67kg winning the finals of other two.
05 MAY 2012 - MANCHESTER, GBR - Aaron Cook (GBR) of Great Britain aims a kick at Ramin Azizov (right in red) of Azerbaijan during the men's 2012 European Taekwondo Championships -80kg final at Sportcity in Manchester, Great Britain .(PHOTO (C) 2012 NIGEL FARROW)
05 MAY 2012 - MANCHESTER, GBR - Aaron Cook (GBR) of Great Britain (left in blue) battles for points with Ramin Azizov (right in red) of Azerbaijan during the men's 2012 European Taekwondo Championships -80kg final at Sportcity in Manchester, Great Britain (PHOTO (C) 2012 NIGEL FARROW)
05 MAY 2012 - MANCHESTER, GBR - Aaron Cook (GBR) of Great Britain (on right, in blue) tries to console Ramin Azizov (AZE) of Azerbaijan after winning the men's -80kg final in the 2012 European Taekwondo Championships at Sportcity in Manchester, Great Britain when the referee penalised Azizov for stepping out of the field of play in the final second of the last round to give Cook the title (PHOTO (C) 2012 NIGEL FARROW)
05 MAY 2012 - MANCHESTER, GBR - Aaron Cook (GBR) of Great Britain (on right, in blue) tries to console Ramin Azizov (AZE) of Azerbaijan after winning the men's -80kg final in the 2012 European Taekwondo Championships at Sportcity in Manchester, Great Britain when the referee penalised Azizov for stepping out of the field of play in the final second of the last round to give Cook the title (PHOTO (C) 2012 NIGEL FARROW)
05 MAY 2012 - MANCHESTER, GBR - Aaron Cook (GBR) of Great Britain (on right, in blue) attempts to generate applause for his opponent after beating Ramin Azizov of Azerbaijan (crouched on left in red) to win the men's -80kg final in the 2012 European Taekwondo Championships at Sportcity in Manchester, Great Britain when the referee penalised Azizov for stepping out of the field of play in the final second of the last round to give Cook the title .(PHOTO (C) 2012 NIGEL FARROW)
05 MAY 2012 - MANCHESTER, GBR - Aaron Cook (GBR) of Great Britain (on left in blue) waits for a referee's decision during his men's 2012 European Taekwondo Championships -80kg semi final contest against Nicolas Garcia Hemme of Spain at Sportcity in Manchester, Great Britain (PHOTO (C) 2012 NIGEL FARROW)
04 MAY 2012 - MANCHESTER, GBR - Anne Caroline Graffe (FRA) (+73kg category) of France practices during the break for lunch at the 2012 European Taekwondo Championships at Sportcity in Manchester, Great Britain (PHOTO (C) 2012 NIGEL FARROW)
04 MAY 2012 - MANCHESTER, GBR - Anne Caroline Graffe (FRA) of France (right) aims a kick at Rosanna Simon Alamo of Spain (left) during the women's 2012 European Taekwondo Championships +73kg final at Sportcity in Manchester, Great Britain .(PHOTO (C) 2012 NIGEL FARROW)
04 MAY 2012 - MANCHESTER, GBR - Lutalo Muhammad (GBR) of Great Britain (in red on right) prepares to launch an attack on Augustin Bata of France during the men's 2012 European Taekwondo Championships -87kg category final at Sportcity in Manchester, Great Britain (PHOTO (C) 2012 NIGEL FARROW)
05 MAY 2012 - MANCHESTER, GBR - Anastasia Baryshnikova (RUS) of Russia celebrates her victory in the women's -73kg category final at the 2012 European Taekwondo Championships at Sportcity in Manchester, Great Britain (PHOTO (C) 2012 NIGEL FARROW)
05 MAY 2012 - MANCHESTER, GBR - Floriane Liborio (FRA) of France (on left) aims a kick at Gunay Aghakishiyeva of Azerbaijan during their women's -57kg category second round contest at the 2012 European Taekwondo Championships at Sportcity in Manchester, Great Britain (PHOTO (C) 2012 NIGEL FARROW)
04 MAY 2012 - MANCHESTER, GBR - Taekwondo helmets on display at the 2012 European Taekwondo Championships at Sportcity in Manchester, Great Britain (PHOTO (C) 2012 NIGEL FARROW)
04 MAY 2012 - MANCHESTER, GBR - Eryk Rodzik (POL) of Poland listens to his coach during his men's -58kg category semi final contest against Joel Gonzalez Bonilla of Spain during the 2012 European Taekwondo Championships at Sportcity in Manchester, Great Britain (PHOTO (C) 2012 NIGEL FARROW)
05 MAY 2012 - MANCHESTER, GBR - Arnaud Sangue (FRA) of France recovers during a break in his men's -63kg category second round match against Cem Ulugnuyan of Turkey at the 2012 European Taekwondo Championships at Sportcity in Manchester, Great Britain (PHOTO (C) 2012 NIGEL FARROW)
04 MAY 2012 - MANCHESTER, GBR - Brigida Yague Enrique (ESP) of Spain fastens her helmet after a break in her women's -49kg category quarter final against Natascha Mitrovits of Austria at the 2012 European Taekwondo Championships at Sportcity in Manchester, Great Britain (PHOTO (C) 2012 NIGEL FARROW)
RESULTS
3rd May 2012
Men -54kg
1 Seyfula Magomedov (RUS)
2 Mikayil Aliyev (AZE)
3 Amin Badr (GBR)
3 Nikolaos Polotis (GRE)
Men +87kg
1 Leonardo Basile (ITA)
2 Ivan Trajkovic (SLO)
3 Vanja Babic (SRB)
3 Volker Wodzich (GER)
Women -46kg
1 Ioanna Koutsou (GRE)
2 Elaia Torrontegui Ronco (ESP)
3 Jessika Aliar Soares (SWE)
3 Rukiye Yildirim (TUR)
Women -62kg
1 Marlene Harnois (FRA)
2 Marina Sumic (CRO)
3 Marina Cheshuina (RUS)
3 Joyce Van Baaren (NED)
4th May 2012
Men -58kg
1 Joel Gonzalez Bonilla (ESP)
2 Moussa Cisse (FRA)
3 Firat Pozan (TUR)
3 Eryk Rodzik (POL)
Men -87kg
1 Lutalo Muhammad (GBR)
2 Augustin Bata (FRA)
3 Carlo Molfetta (ITA)
3 Ali Sari (TUR)
Women -49kg
1 Lucija Zaninovic (CRO)
2 Kristina Kim (RUS)
3 Yasmina Aziez (FRA)
3 Brigida Yague Enrique (ESP)
Women +79kg
1 Anne Caroline Graffe (FRA)
2 Rosanna Simon Alamo (ESP)
3 Olga Ivanova (RUS)
3 Katharina Weiss (GER)
5th May 2012
Men -63kg
1 Michael Harvey (GBR)
2 Vasileios Gaitanis (GRE)
3 Tomislav Karaula (CRO)
3 Mario Silva (POR)
Men -80kg
1 Aaron Cook (GBR)
2 Ramin Azizov (AZE)
3 Tommy Mollet (NED)
3 Nicolas Garcia Hemme (ESP)
Women -57kg
1 Floriane Liborio (FRA)
2 Edina Kotsis (HUN)
3 Andrea Rica Taboada (ESP)
3 Jade Jones (GBR)
Women -73kg
1 Anastasia Baryshnikova (RUS)
2 Milica Mandic (SRB)
3 Melda Akcan (GER)
3 Maeva Mellier (FRA)
6th May 2012
Men -68kg
1 Servet Tazegul (TUR)
2 Filip Grgic (CRO)
3 Martin Stamper (GBR)
3 Stylianos Mechteridis Papadopoulos (GRE)
Men -74kg
1 Aliaskhab Sirazhov (RUS)
2 Ridvan Baygut (TUR)
3 Torann Maizeroi (FRA)
3 Bartosz Kolecki (POL)
Women -53kg
1 Hatice Kubra Yangin (TUR)
2 Ana Zaninovic (CRO)
3 Maeiva Coutant (FRA)
3 Caroline Fisher (GBR)
Women -67kg
1 Nur Tatar (TUR)
2 Haby Niare (FRA)
3 Petra Matijasevic (CRO)
3 Elin Johansson (SWE)
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