FOR the third straight Olympics, judoka Sarah Clark was eliminated in the first round but the 34-year-old maintains she bows out of London 2012 with neither complaints nor regrets.
Four years of blood, sweat and tears in training boiled down to under six minutes of action against France's Automne Pavia in the women's 57kg category at the ExCel Arena.
Clark faced a tall order against the No.4 seed and after a tight five minutes, the match went to golden score where Pavia executed a Waza-ari throw.
On first impressions it seemed a harsh judgement but the Scot was gracious enough in defeat to acknowledge she had been beaten by the better fighter.
"It was definitely a score," she said. "Initially you think you have gotten off the technique, but that is why the video referees are there.
"I was positive with my performance throughout until that point. I played the plan I had been looking to play against that girl, with her coming ranked fourth in the tournament, but unfortunately a slight error at the end cost me the match."
At 34, Clark is the second oldest member of the British Judo squad but insists she has yet to make any decision on her future.
"I am obviously very emotional at the moment so I need to figure out where I go from here," she said. "I am not the youngest athlete by any stretch in the Olympic Games."