Coombs, who has appeared as an extra in the TV show Game of Thrones, held the early initiative against Noakes, who led 6-5 in their head-to-head meetings coming into the Games.

There was never more than three points in it in the opening game but the Frenchman finished strongly and then built up a 19-7 lead in the second game to put him on the brink of glory.

Coombs rattled off the next five points to give himself a glimmer of hope, but it wasn’t enough to stop Noakes, much to the delight of his supporters.

“It obviously wasn’t the result I’d have wanted but to be out there with that crowd was incredible and amazing,” said the Briton. “Near the end I had to take it all in.

“I came out to play my best badminton and see what happened. The dream was to win that gold but it wasn’t to be.

“There was a momentum swing at 17-17 in the first game, he got that little edge and that’s badminton, that’s what happens.

“I struggled a little bit to come back out in the second, but I gave it my all.”