Taekwondo heroine seeks to regain Olympic appetite

LONDON (AFP) –

Britain’s Jade Jones (left) fights Taiwan’s Tseng Li-Cheng during a under 57 kg category semi-final bout at the London 2012 Olympic Games at the ExCel centre in London, on August 9, 2012. Jones admitted on Monday that it has been hard to get motivated again since she became Great Britain’s first ever taekwondo Olympic gold medalist in London in July.

Jade Jones admitted on Monday that it has been hard to get motivated again since she became Great Britain’s first ever taekwondo Olympic gold medalist in London in July.

The bubbly 19-year-old, born in the tiny North Wales village of Bodelwyddan, added she didn’t think winning gold would ever sink in as to how great an achievement it was.

Jones gained revenge in London on double world champion Hou Yuzhuo of China with a 6-4 success in the final, the Chinese girl having beaten her in the world championship final.

However, she said that after taking a well-earned rest, coming back to her five-hour a day training routine in Manchester, England, had not been a smooth path.

“I don’t think that winning the gold will ever sink in,” she told AFP in a telephone interview.

“I took a bit of a break and let my hair down before I got mentally focussed once again.

“However, the proper hunger has gone a bit. It’s a bit hard to get motivated again. I can’t wait for the big competition again and that is the world championships in Mexico next year.”

There she realises that because of her status as Olympic champion she will be the woman to beat.

“I got silver last time and I want gold this time,” said Jones, who is backed up by a nutritionist and a psychologist among other support staff supplied by the federation.

“I know I have got to fight to stay on top as everyone is going out there to beat me. I have got to get bigger and faster.”

Jones, who spends her leisure time shopping with friends and chilling out with her family, said she could already feel the impact her victory had had on the sport in Britain.

Britain’s Jade Jones celebrates her victory over Taiwan’s Tseng Li-Cheng at the end of their taekwondo under 57 kg semi-final bout at the London 2012 Olympic Games, on August 9, 2012. Jones admitted on Monday that it has been hard to get motivated again since she became Great Britain’s first ever taekwondo Olympic gold medalist in London in July.

“I never stop hearing about taekwondo now,” she said of the sport that first entered the Olympics in 2000 but is seen by many as being in danger of being voted out for the 2020 edition.

“Everyone knows about it. Before I used to be asked ‘what is it?’ The two medals we won at the Games have really raised awareness of the sport in the country.

“I know a lot of people have started taking up the sport and it is attracting a wider range of people which can only be good for competition.”

Jones was introduced to the sport aged eight by her grandfather Martin Foulkes, her guiding light in life, after she had taken a look at football and athletics and found them not to her liking.

“What attracted me to it? All those flashy kicks, it is really good to watch.

“It is exciting and as a competitor you have to keep your adrenaline coursing through you and always be alert because you can be caught in a second if you let your concentration dip.”

Jones, who showed her natural talent for the sport when she won Youth Olympics gold in 2010, said that she had been so proud to have her grandfather and other members of her family present in London to watch her golden moment.

“If it wasn’t for my grandfather and his dedication to me and my life none of this would have happened,” she said.

“I was really proud and really glad to have them there that day.”

As for the reception when she returned with her gold medal to Flint, where she had gone to school, she thought that her achievement had left people cold.

“It was an unbelievable experience. It didn’t seem like it would be when I arrived at the mayor’s and there was nobody on the streets and I thought ‘oh no’!

“However, when I came back out there were thousands of people lining the streets, music blaring and my family and friends were there and got on the bus with me and we rode along to cheers and being showered in confetti.”