DORCHESTER star Aaron Cook has won World Grand Prix bronze for his adopted country Moldova at London’s Copper Box.

Cook lost to Russian Maksim Khramtcov at the men's -80kg semi-final stage, where both losers are awarded bronze medals without a play-off.

Having been controversially left off the Team GB squad for his home Olympics in 2012, Cook switched to Moldova after billionaire Igor Iuzefovici bought his nationality in 2015.

The Dorset fighter has since climbed to second in the world after securing World Championship bronze and silver at the Morocco Grand Prix.

But Cook is having to rely on his parents to support his training and competition after his funding was withdrawn following a first-round loss at Rio 2016.

He told BBC Sport that girlfriend Bianca Walkden, who won women’s +80kg gold in London, is also helping him train.

"I’m back funding myself, my family supporting me and it’s extremely difficult.

"I didn't want to retire after Rio, having given that kind of performance on that stage after all the hard work I've put in, so I said I'll give it another shot.

"These events are all around the world though and my parents have had to fund everything.

"I've got no training partners, but have been so lucky to have Bianca who's tried her absolute hardest to help me train and (ex GB fighter) Jordan Gayle, as well as others who've got me back on this world stage again."

Cook cannot switch back to Great Britain in time for Tokyo 2020, with a three-year wait imposed on athletes wishing to switch nationalities for a second time.

Next up for Cook is the World Grand Prix final at Abidjan, Ivory Coast in December.