British judo great Howey calls it a day

LONDON (AFP) - Dual Olympic judo medallist and former world champion Kate Howey has announced her retirement at the age of 31.
Howey, whose 16-year career culminated this year when she carried the British flag at the Athens Olympics opening ceremony, is the only British judo fighter to have competed at four Olympiads.
She was also the only woman from Britain to have won two judo medals - bronze in Barcelona in 1992 and silver in Sydney in 2000.
Her competitive career ended in Paris on Sunday - where it had begun on her senior international debut as a 15-year-old - when she won a silver in the European team championships as Great Britain lost to France in the final.
Howey will continue as a regional co-ordinator for the British Judo Association (BJA).
"Judo is like a drug to me," she said. "I'm still going to practise judo - but I won't be competing any more."

10/27/2004 - 11:26 GMT - AFP