A former EWB-UK volunteer has won a silver medal for Great Britain at the Beijing Olympics.

Emma Pooley, who did an EWB-UK placement in Honduras in 2003, won a silver medal in the Cycling Time Trial event, beating third place Karin Thurig from Switzerland by over 34 seconds.

The 25 year-old, who is a engineering graduate from Trinity Hall Cambridge, led for most of the race until Kristin Armstrong of the United States entered a late time of 34 minutes 51.76 seconds to win gold.

Speaking in an ITN interview after the race, Pooley said it was 'fantastic' to have won a medal but had mixed feelings about its colour.

"Obviously I'm disappointed not to get gold but it's about second best so I'm pleased".

Asked if she expected to win the gold she repiled:

"Not really. To be honest I didn't even think I'd get Silver, because I went off so early and there were so people who were so many good people to come in that I thought no way."

"I really thought there were bound to be at least three people faster than me so I was hoping for top ten."

Based in Zurich, Pooley initially competed as a cross-country runner before she decided to switch disciplines three years ago.

It was only when she was injured and unable to run that she took up cycling as a way to keep fit and discovered a natural talent for the sport.

Standing at a little over five foot and weighing just 49 pounds, Pooley's frame is not typical of the average olympic cyclist which created a number of challenges for her support team.

Nicknamed 'Project Pooley', her team had to make a number of alterations to her bike in order to make best use of her diminutive stature and light weight.

"We developed a completely different bike that allowed her to make use of her very small size, which is fantastic for going up hills-but not much good for coming down, when it is about power".

"The problem was, there was not a lot of proprietary equipement out there on the mainstream market that was small enough."

"So, we developed something special for her that allows her to get into that really tucked in position coming down - because her advantage is that being small she doesn't hit a lot of air".

Poole's silver medal added to an overall medal haul for Team GB of 19 golds, 13 silvers and 15 broze medals, placing them fourth behind China, the USA and Russia.

It is Britain's best performance at the Olympic Games since 1908.

• Find out more about Engineers Without Borders UK's placements in 2008