She had travelled home from Croatia, where she is training, to unveil the painted gold gates of her old school in the Flintshire town of Flint in her honour. 

“It feels lovely to be back. Flint has always supported me, it’s my home town and I'm really proud to be from here.

"It inspires me. It gives me strength and it just made me really excited for the Olympics,” said Jones.

She won her first Olympic gold medal in London in 2012 and retained the title in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. But in 2021 she suffered a shock exit in the first round at the Tokyo 2020.

Jones said that “tough” experience has made her stronger and the thought of bringing a third gold medal back to her home was helping her prepare for Paris.

“Knowing where I'm from, knowing the support and just everybody willing me on. How can I not go for it and give it my everything?

“Just kind of remembering London and Rio - obviously Tokyo didn't go to plan - but, yeah, just getting that belief again and imagine coming back with a medal would be amazing,” concluded the athlete.