FEARNHEAD karate queen Michelle Hey did her country proud at the weekend.

The 19-year-old gave her all at the Junior European Kata Championships in Poland but her bid to win a medal ended in disappointment.

After wiping the floor with the cream of the Czech Republic and Greece, a test of skill and technique with Austria's finest proved to be one hurdle too far. Hey had to settle for fifth place.

Hey lost 2-1 to the Austrian despite putting in a good performance and the newly crowned Warrington Sports Personality of 2002 was gutted to have come so close and yet so far.

She felt in peak condition and went to Poland wanting to better the fifth-placed finish she achieved last year.

Brian Hey, Michelle's father, said: "Michelle performed well but the standard of the competition was extremely high.

"It was always going to be tough to win a medal and so there is no need for her to be disappointed."