Jade Jones: Olympic champion quits taekwondo to pursue boxing

One of Wales’ most successful Olympians, Jones admits there is a degree of sadness at giving up taekwondo, having represented Team GB at four Olympics and having won two gold medals, as well as winning a World Championship.

Jones became the youngest Team GB Olympic gold medallist when she sensationally won gold at her first attempt, as a 19-year-old at the 2012 London Games and held on to her crown four years later in Rio de Janeiro.

Disappointment followed at the 2020 Tokyo Games which she later described as the “biggest low” of her career.

At Paris 2024, Jones’ bid for Olympic history ended in early defeat in the taekwondo -57kg first round.

She was bidding to become the first three-time Olympic champion in the sport’s history and defeat left Jones “devastated”.

Jones lost to Macedonia’s Miljana Reljikj on the number of registered hits, used as a tie-breaker after three even rounds.

Jones – whose Paris build-up had been overshadowed by the controversy of a missed drugs test, but was later cleared by the UK Anti-Doping Agency – has now chosen to step away from the sport she loves.

“My family have been a little bit sad about me giving up taekwondo,” she added.

“I’ve never used my hands. After 20 years of using my feet I am switching it up.

“Boxing is good for me. It started as a distraction but now I am going to go for it, because I am just loving it.”