Gemma Gibbons claimed a silver medal at the GB Judo World Cup event in Birmingham.
The 23-year-old British Judo Performance Institute fighter - who won the European Cup in Russia in June - beat Luxembourg's Lynn Mossong in the first round in the under-70kg category, which put her straight into the Pool A final, where she overcame experienced Frenchwoman Marie Pasquet.
That set up a contest with Linda Bolder of the Netherlands, which the Briton won via a double waza-ari score.
However, in the final, Gibbons - one of the British prospects for London 2012 - fell behind midway through the five-minute contest following a leg sweep and was not able to recover.
"It has been a tough day and I am glad with the way I fought. It is my first World Cup medal so it is a good achievement, but I am still disappointed I did not get the gold," Gibbons told Press Association Sport.
"At the end of last year I had some decent results, with bronze at the European Under-23s and University Games, then I won in Russia.
"This event has given me some stuff I can go away and work on, so that was good."
Gibbons added: "Everyone who is fighting in this tournament has the same aim - to get to 2012 - and is just battling against each other."
Pasquet and Bolder collected the bronze medals.
Scarlett Woolcock, the 20-year-old from Devon, lost in the first round to Bolder, while Bath fighter Megan Fletcher, 21, and Edinburgh-based Sally Conway, 23, also did not progress.
Scotland's Sarah Adlington, twice a winner of this event, had to be content with a bronze from the over-78kg.
The 24-year-old had a bye in the first round, but lost against five-time European champion Anne-Sophie Mondiere of France.
That put Adlington into the repechage, where she fought Frenchwoman Emile Andeol, and secured waza-ari victory with a hip-throw.
"The performances were more important, but it was good to get a bronze medal at the end," Adlington said.
"The final was a tough fight, but I have been working on my conditioning, which is important because I am up against some bigger opponents."
It was a good day for France as Mondiere won gold, beating compatriot Eva Bisseni, while the other bronze was won by Rosalina Oukoloff, also from the French team.
There was, though, no success in the U78kg, where Sam Lowe, the the 2002 Commonwealth Games champion, Wales' Fiona Kones and 20-year-old Dartford prospect Louise Little all lost their opening bouts.
Gold went to 2010 world champion Kayla Harrison from the United States and silver to France's Lucie Louette, while Chinese fighter Feng Zhu and Italian Assunta Galeone won bronze.
On Saturday, Rochdale fighter Sophie Cox - who has just returned to competitive action after a five-year break - secured bronze in the U52kg.
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