This 22-year-old operating at the top weight in women’s competition has been smiling a lot in recent years.

Two weeks before her 10-4 victory over Mexico’s Briseida Acosta in in the women’s over-63 kilograms final at the Foro Italica arena, Lee had earned world gold in the under-73kg category at the Manchester Arena.

Lee, who found competing in the under-73kg category easier as her opponents tended not to be as tall or powerful, said she was especially proud of her achievement in Rome given that she felt she had not had sufficient time to train since the World Championships in May.

She realises that operating in the heavyweight section of the women’s sport poses a unique challenge.

"At the next Grand Prix in Chiba there will be more powerful athletes who come so I want to do more weight training,” Lee said. 

"I want to train more for the physical side."

Lee, who took up the sport when she was at middle-school at the instigation of a friend, added: "I train in the morning for two hours and in the afternoon for another two hours. 

"When I practise taekwondo, I feel very happy. 

"Once a week I self-train after dinner. 

"When I am self-training it is just image training.”

A technique she dedicates a lot of time to in training is the head kick. 

"My favourite kick is the higher kick. 

"Especially when the body score is not so good like it was in Rome, I try more head kicks. 

"I am very good on short distance. 

"I am fast. 

"I try to make opponents keep guessing as I move quickly."

Meanwhile, Tokyo 2020 is firmly in her sights. 

"My first goal is to qualify," she said. 

"If I get it, I want to get a gold at Tokyo Olympics."