'Tough' Sheikha Maitha beaten but not bowed

Sheikha Maitha, right, the UAE's final chance of a medal, evades a kick during her 67kg taekwondo first-round defeat to South Korea's Hwang Kyung-seon. After her 5-1 loss she went into the repechage where she was beaten 4-0 by the Croat Sandra Saric.Show less

BEIJING // Sheikha Maitha bint Mohammed bin Rashid may not have survived long in the taekwondo competition, but she enjoyed every second of it and hopes to be back for more in London in four years' time. She was up against the South Korean Hwang Kyung-seon, who at 22 is six years the Sheikha's junior, in the opening round. She was comprehensively beaten 5-1, in what was a tough introduction to the Olympics for the Sheikha.

"I'm pretty hard headed. It doesn't bother me at all," Sheikha Maitha said. "I'm pretty used to it. I'm a tough girl. Don't worry." Sheikha Maitha had a second chance of a bronze medal when she took part in the repechage but she was overpowered 4-0 by Croatia's Sandra Saric. She scored her first Olympic point against Hwang after an exchange of effective kicks. "I didn't know I scored. I was just concentrating on my opponent," she said. "I've learned a lot and next time I'll try to close the gap between me and her."

Sheikha Maitha said that it was a "dream and a nightmare at the same time" and added: " I couldn't wait until it was going to happen. And now I can't believe it's over. "I think I performed well for what my background is and my experience. I think, fingers crossed I'll be back for 2012. I'll be old, but I hope so." The sheikha made history here when she became the first Gulf woman to carry a flag at an Olympics opening ceremony.

Martial arts came into her life at the age of 20 after she spent her teenaged years riding horses. She took up karate and four years later also took up taekwondo. She won a silver medal at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, was named the Arab athlete of the year in 2007 and finished ninth at the world taekwondo championships. "I love sports. I love athletes. I love what sportsmanship represents, the value of sports," she said.

"Win or lose, it's very fair. There's no class, you know. Everyone is equal. You're on your merit." Although she stayed at a hotel and away from all the other athletes, she said that she "always wanted to be among these people". "I went to the Olympic Village and met with a lot of athletes," she said. "I had previously met a lot of people who are here and I admire them a lot." * AFP