The 18-year-old only had a limited time to enjoy the celebrations that inevitably followed her success as she had to report back to her high school.

The Serbian, who captured her silver after losing a tight, hard-fought bout against South Korea'’s So-hui Kim in the women's 49kg division, is not a full-time athlete and is still in education.

“I only had about ten days of summer break, then I started school," said the teenager.

Bogdanovic was very grateful her peers for all of their support.

“I had great support from my friends and my teachers," she added.

"They helped me a lot during my period of absence."

Bogdanovic's previous successes included gold at the European Championships and bronze at the World Championships before she made it through to the finals in Brazil.

It was the more experienced Kim who took the gold medal 7-6, despite going down in what looked like the final second.

Some observers thought that Kim, who had racked up almost the maximum number of penalties for falling, should have been disqualified for her last-second fall but she was not penalised.

Bogdanovic, who shocked China's double Olympic champion Wu Jingyu in the quarter-finals, says her future plans remain uncertain. 

She is, however, "very interested and motivated to work with kids".  

"The best place for me is our taekwondo club as I really feel great when I am in training," she said.

"I feel myself there, I feel I belong there."