Army athlete Sarah Hawkes loses out on Commonwealth Games bronze medal

Corporal Sarah Hawkes has just missed out on a bronze medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

The judo star lost her first match of the day against Abi Paduch but bounced back in the repêchage match by beating Diana Kana of Kenya.

That put her in contention for the bronze medal but she lost that key match to New Zealand's Sydnee Andrews.

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She said: "As nice as it would have been to get a medal, I'm just really pleased to be able to represent the Army at this level and get to a medal contest.

"The special thing about it for me is getting to represent Northern Ireland which I don't normally get to do.

"Whenever I compete internationally, it's for Great Britain."

Cpl Hawkes may not have won a medal but she leaves Birmingham with the experience of competing in front of a Commonwealth Games crowd.

"[It's] an amazing feeling," she said.

"There's nothing else like it in the world."