Idowu takes silver behind Evora

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Video - Idowu has to settle for silver

Britain's world number one Phillips Idowu had to settle for a silver medal in the Olympic triple jump after being out-jumped by Portugal's Nelson Evora.

Evora took Portugal's first gold of the Beijing Games with a mark of 17.67m, ahead of Idowu who recorded 17.62m.

Leevan Sands of the Bahamas took bronze with 17.59m, while Britain's Larry Achike was seventh with 17.17m.

Idowu, previously unbeaten this season, took the lead after three rounds but Evora's fourth jump proved decisive.

I really wanted to go to the London Olympics as a defending champion Phillips Idowu

"It's not what I wanted but I'll take it," said Idowu. "It was a really tough competition. I was really close but in the end it wasn't quite enough.

"It hurts. I'm upset. I came here to achieve a lot more and I just fell short. I've come a long way, though. Last year I wasn't even in the mix for medals. It's been a long road.

"I'm a winner, I don't want to be content with silver. I will go on - I've just got to keep improving.

OLYMPICS BLOG Five centimetres was all that stood between Idowu and gold BBC Sport's Tom Fordyce

"It would have taken an outdoor personal best to win the gold but I've been in such great form this year I believed I could do it."

Evora, who was a surprise winner at the 2007 World Championships, becomes his country's first gold-medal winner in an Olympic field event.

He had arrived in China with a season's best of only 17.24, which ranked him at 17th in the world this year, but he found his form when it mattered.

Idowu cannot be accused of underperforming after recording 17.51m, 17.31m and 17.62m with his first three jumps.

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Video - Idowu disappointed with silver

His third effort was his longest this year but he was unable to improve on it in his next three jumps.

The Londoner, 29, needed to match his personal best of 17.68m to take gold but managed only a red flag and a leap of 17.26m before a disappointing final effort of 16.41m.

It was a disappointing night for the 29-year-old, who had been tipped to win to make up for his disappointing showing in Athens in 2004 where he had posted three no-jumps.

But Idowu, who finished sixth in Sydney in 2000 and posted three no-jumps in the final in Athesn four years ago, is adamant he will be back in London in 2012 to go for gold again.

"I really wanted to go to the London Olympics as a defending champion," Idowu added.

I think he should be proud. This could be the making of him World record holder Jonathan Edwards

"I hadn't felt under pressure - I felt good after our first couple of athletics medals were picked up by Germaine Mason (in the high jump) and Christine Ohuruogu (in the 400m). That helped relax me.

"I did jump reasonably well - I had a couple of decent distances. It just wasn't enough."

Britain's world record holder Jonathan Edwards, who also picked up silver as favourite in Atalanta in 1996 before taking gold in Sydney, believes the setback in Beijing "could be the making" of Idowu.

"That was his best ever competitive performance and I think he will be stronger for it," Edwards told BBC Television.

"The conditions weren't easy with the rain and wind gusting around, and in that context, I think he should be proud. This could be the making of him.

"He will go to Berlin next year for the World Championships knowing he has won silver at the Olympics.

"Four years ago he got nothing after three fouls. This is a big step up for him. It probably doesn't feel like that at the moment but it will prove to be."