Two-time taekwondo world champion Sarah Stevenson announced her retirement on this day in 2013.

The announcement brought to an end a glittering career that also brought her four gold medals at the European Championships.

She also claimed Britain’s first ever Olympic medal in taekwondo at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, but was at the centre of controversy after appealing against a contentious ruling during her quarter-final loss to China’s Chen Zhong.

The appeal was successful meaning Stevenson was awarded a spot in the semi-finals and she went on to take bronze.

Stevenson’s first taekwondo world title came in 2001, and she earned her second a decade later in emotional circumstances as both her parents were critically ill.

Her parents died later that year and her career could have been derailed after suffering a serious knee injury, but she recovered in time to compete in her fourth Olympics at London 2012.

She failed to progress beyond the first round and, having not fought since then, reached the decision to retire and take up a role as a high-performance coach with GB Taekwondo.

Stevenson, then aged 30, said: “It has been a hard decision and it has been a long process but I think in just stepping away from the sport and having a break, waiting to seeing if I’m going to miss it or not – I realised I didn’t miss it.

“I didn’t feel in my heart that I wanted to compete again.

“I don’t really do anything half-hearted and I think it would be a mistake for me to continue if my heart isn’t in it.

“But I have no regrets and it feels good to say that. I am 100 per cent happy with my decision.”

Great Britain triple jumper Phillips Idowu won gold at the European Championships in Barcelona on this day in 2010.

On a rainy night in Spain, Idowu added to his Commonwealth and world titles by earning victory with the best jump of his career.

The 31-year-old leaped a superb 17.81 metres on his fourth attempt, extending his previous personal best by eight centimetres to finish ahead of Romania’s Marian Oprea.

Idowu said afterwards: “I’ve always worked hard and by the grace of God I’ve come out a gold medallist.”

Idowu’s success was Great Britain’s second gold medal of the 2010 European Championships after Mo Farah had triumphed in the 10,000m.

London-born Idowu had also landed Olympic silver at Beijing in 2008 but injury problems later began to hamper his career and he failed to make it past the qualifying round in his home Games in 2012.

He retired from the sport the following year.