Jade Jones: “I put too much pressure off myself”

Flint’s Jade Jones chances of making it three gold in three Olympics were crushed this morning following a first-round defeat in Tokyo.

The two-time gold medalist went out in the first round to 23-year-old Kimia Alizadeh of the Refugee Olympic Team in Tokyo.

The bout was tied 10-10 with just 30 seconds left, but Alizadeh scored a pair of two-point body kicks to take the lead before hanging on for the four-point victory.

Still a legend 💙

Chin up, Champ. pic.twitter.com/1hNvhRRme9

— GB Taekwondo 🇬🇧 (@GBTaekwondo) July 25, 2021

Alizadeh was later beaten in her semi-final with Tatiana Minina.

Talking to the BBC Jade Jones said: “It’ll take a while to sink in, but I just think I put too much pressure off myself.”

She said: “Coming out, I felt scared and felt just too much pressure.”

“The whole tournament has been obviously different, I’m used the having my family there, when I am scared them cheering for me gives me that extra push to go for it.”

She said: “I think I could have done more, I gave it my best under circumstances and wish I could have brought back the gold for everyone at home.”

Asked how difficult preparation has been on the back of the pandemic and the delayed games, Jade said: “Obviously I don’t want to make excuses because a champion adapts and I truly do believe that and it’s my fault for not adapting.”

“It’s been tough, with my family over there [back home] and the empty stadium, I didn’t kind of realise what it’d be like until it got here, it’s sad that you come out the stadiums empty.”

“It almost felt like a test match coming out, it was just difficult with no crowd and no atmosphere but, you know, no excuses.”

“I wasn’t the best today and it’s on my shoulders, I just have to go back and reflect.”

Asked about competing on the Paris Olympics in 2024, Jade said: “For me, the Olympics is the pinnacle, I’ve always said that, I feel a bit lost at the minute and don’t know what to think, I just have to take time for myself figure it all out.”