The 19-year-old from Bodelwyddan in Wales proved one of the stars of the Olympics as she beat Hou Yuzhuo of China 6-4 at the ExCeL to take victory in the women's -57kg weight category having stunned Chinese Taipei's top seed Tseng Li-Cheng in the semi-finals.

The win came after Jones won gold at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in 2010 but she admits that going back into training in Manchester was far more difficult than she anticipated.

"I don't think that winning the gold will ever sink in," she said.

"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."

Nevertheless, Jones feels she will be fully focused again by the time the 2013 World Taekwondo Championships begin in the Mexican city of Puebla next July.

Jade Jones became Britain’s first-ever Olympic taekwondo champion with victory at London 2012 in the women’s -57kg weight category

Jones is a world championship silver medallist, having lost out to Yuzhuo in the gold medal match in South Korea in 2011 but she says she is looking to go one better next year by adding the world title to her Olympic one.

"I can't wait for the big competition again and that is the world championships in Mexico next year," she said.

"I got silver last time and I want gold this time.

"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 continued that she can feel the impact her victory had had on the sport in Britain.

"I never stop hearing about taekwondo now," she said.

"Everyone knows about it.

"Before I used to be asked 'what is it?'

"The two medals we won at the Games (with Lutalo Muhammad also winning taekwondo bronze for Team GB in the men's -80kg class) 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.

"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."

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