70 kg and performed superbly reaching the final where she lost out to Sibelis Veranes for the gold medal. In 2001, she won a silver medal at the 2001 World Judo Championships, in Munich and won her sixth and final British title in 2002. Also in 2002 she was left out of the Commonwealth Games squad in favour of Samantha Lowe and would never get the opportunity to take part in a Commonwealth Games. Howey was shocked at her omission and would likely have won gold but Lowe did go on to win gold for England. Her final major appearance was at the 2004 Summer Olympics, in Athens, where she was honored to bear the national flag at the opening ceremony. She announced her retirement from competition on 27 October 2004, having competed for 16 years. Following her retirement, she continued as a coach (Head Coach 2018) for the British Judo Association, she coached Gemma Gibbons to silver at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, ending her nation's wait for an Olympic medal in the sport that had stretched back to her own silver in 2000. By contrast, having waited 12 years for Olympic medal, only 24 hours later, her now-veteran former teammate, Karina Bryant also won a bronze medal. References External links 1973 births People from Andover, Hampshire Living people English female judoka Judoka at the 1992 Summer Olympics Judoka at the 1996 Summer Olympics Judoka at the 2000 Summer Olympics Judoka at the 2004 Summer Olympics Members of the Order of the British Empire Olympic judoka of Great Britain Olympic silver medallists for Great Britain Olympic bronze medallists for Great Britain Olympic medalists in judo Medalists at the 2000 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 1992 Summer Olympics Universiade medalists in judo Universiade bronze medalists for Great Britain Team Bath athletes Medalists at the 1999 Summer Universiade