Golden gates at school for double gold Olympian
Double Olympic champion Jade Jones has gone back to her old school to open gates painted gold in her honour.
The 30-year-old taekwondo fighter travelled home from Croatia - where she currently trains - to unveil the golden gates in the Flintshire town of Flint.
“It feels lovely to be back,” she said. “Flint has always supported me, it’s my home town and I'm really proud to be from here.”
She is hoping to become the first taekwondo competitor to win a third Olympic gold when she competes in Paris this summer.
“So we had to be back before the Olympics," she said.
"It inspires me. It gives me strength and it just made me really excited for the Olympics.”
Jones 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 postponed Tokyo Games.
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.”
Jade was welcomed at Flint High School by the mayor before she cut a ribbon to officially open the gates.
She then chatted to a group of students before being shown around her old school.
Luke, 12, said: “She’s a big influence for young people in Flint.
"Being a two-time gold medallist in the Olympics, it’s massive. She’s a big inspiration for us all.”
The Great Britain taekwondo team for Paris is being selected this month, and the games will begin on 26 July.
