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Jade JonesBritish taekwondo athlete
Date of Birth: 21.03.1993
Country:  Great Britain |
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Jade Jones: A Biography
Jade Jones is a British taekwondo athlete and the winner of the gold medal in the women's under 57kg category at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. This victory marked the 25th gold medal for the British team and the first-ever gold medal for Great Britain in taekwondo. She was born on March 21, 1993, in Bodelwyddan, Denbighshire, Wales. Jones attended Flint High School but left at the age of 16 to fully dedicate herself to taekwondo. As of 2012, she stood at a height of 169cm and weighed 57kg. Jones represents the 'Manchester Aces' club and trains under coach Paul Green.
Early Successes
In 2010, Jones won the Summer Youth Olympics in taekwondo in the girls' under 55kg category. She also won a bronze medal at the European Taekwondo Championships in St. Petersburg, Russia, that same year. In August, she represented Great Britain at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore, where she won gold in the girls' under 55kg category, securing Britain's first-ever gold medal in the event. Jones was named 'Junior Sportswoman of the Year' by BBC Cymru Wales in 2010.
Rise to the Top
In 2011, Jones won her first title in the adult category at the US Open in Texas, earning a gold medal in the under 62kg weight division. She also won silver at the World Taekwondo Championships in South Korea, losing only to China's Hou Yuzhuo in the final. Jones continued to achieve success, winning gold at the British Open in Manchester in 2011 and a bronze at the French Open. She earned a silver medal at the German Open in Hamburg in 2012 and a bronze at the European Championships in Manchester later that year.
Olympic Triumph
Jade Jones earned the opportunity to represent Great Britain at the 2012 London Olympics in the under 57kg category. She defeated opponents from Serbia and Japan in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively, before securing a 6-4 victory over China's Hou Yuzhuo in the final. Jones became the first British athlete to win an Olympic gold medal in taekwondo. Her triumphant moment, marked by throwing her helmet in the air and celebrating with the British flag, was witnessed by her mother Jayne Ferguson and grandfather Martin Foulkes, who had come to support her in the final match.
A Passion for Taekwondo
Jade Jones discovered taekwondo at the age of eight and quickly excelled under the guidance of her grandfather. Although she also participated in football and athletics, taekwondo became her primary focus. Her first coach was local instructor Martin Williams. At the age of 15, Jones transitioned from winning at the local club level to competing nationally. She made the switch from the International Taekwondo Federation to the World Taekwondo Federation with the goal of achieving success at the Olympics.
