Kay Poe has a hold of Denmark's Hanne Hoegh Poulsen, but gets upset in her first-round match. (AP)

The story behind Poe's trip to the Olympics has been among the most captivating of the Sydney Games.

For years, Kim, 20, and Poe, 18, had trained together in Houston under the coaching of Kim's father, Jim Won Kim.

When the trials were held, Poe was ranked No. 1 in the world in the flyweight class and seemed destined for Sydney. But she dislocated a kneecap in the semifinals, leaving her unable to compete in the finals against Kim.

Kim, who would have been an underdog if Poe had been healthy, decided to give up her chance to make the team by forfeiting the match to Poe -- a decision her father supported.

Kim's decision to sacrifice her own chance to compete in Sydney was soon picked up by the media, and before long she was even telling her story to Oprah Winfrey.

Kim was invited to the games by IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch and watched from the stands as Poe took to the ring for her first bout.

At first, Poe looked like a solid bet.

She led Hanne Hoegh Poulsen of Denmark 3-1 going into the final round, but appeared overwhelmed as Poulsen outscored her 4-0 in the final period. Poulsen had one point deducted to finish with the one-point victory.

Poe would have had a shot at a bronze medal had Poulsen reached the finals. But Poulsen was eliminated later in the day by Australia's Lauren Burns.

"I was much more cautious today than usual," Poe said. "I'm usually very aggressive, but today I just didn't play my game."

Poe said she wasn't distracted by all the media attention her story has attracted.

"At first I was in total shock about all the publicity that we had gotten," she said. "But I think I didn't let it affect me as much as before.

"I'm representing me and Esther," she said. "But I'm also representing the rest of the country, my parents, my training partners, my coaches, which everybody else has as well. So that's part of the Olympic Games."

Kim shouted advice to her friend throughout the bout, telling her to watch the way Poulsen was repeatedly throwing the same kind of kick combination.

And though her friend lost, she said their friendship is probably now even stronger.

"She got to this point, she's already a winner," Kim said. "She got to the Olympics. How many people get that chance? I know she really wants to try again in 2004."

Kim said she was satisfied with her own Olympic experience, too, though she never got into the ring.

"It was kind of like I was out there anyway," she said. "I've experienced almost everything the other Olympians have done. The only difference is that I don't get to walk in the opening and closing ceremonies, stay in the Olympic village and compete.

"I don't regret it at all," she said. "I'm grateful and thankful to be out here."

Are the 2004 Olympics in her future plans?

"Hopefully not," she said.

"I think after another year or two I'm done. I'm going on 15 years in taekwondo. I really want to start living a normal life and doing the things I haven't been able to do."