Olympic taekwondo champion Jade Jones keen to make more history

Double Olympic champion Jade Jones says 'falling in love' with taekwondo at an early age has been key to her meteoric rise in the sport.

Jones retained the 57kg title she won at the London 2012 Olympics by defeating world silver medallist Eva Calvo Gomez in a pulsating gold medal contest in Rio last month.

A self-confessed mischief-maker at school, the undisputed world number one was introduced to taekwondo by her granddad, who took her to a local martial arts club at the age of 11 to try and keep her on the straight and narrow.

"I was always sporty," Jones told Sky Sports.

"The one thing I truly loved when I was young was sport and soon as I started taekwondo I fell in love with it.

"The flashy kicks and the spins made me fall in love with it and the passion I had for the sport gave me a goal in life. When a lot of my friends were going out drinking I was doing taekwondo, but I was there out of choice. I wasn't forced and it didn't feel like a big sacrifice for me.

"I know kids can take a different path but I genuinely believe there is something out there for everyone. If you can find that something special for you, you can get that drive and then work towards a goal that can make your life better."

Jones has never lost in a GB vest in Olympic competition and her dazzling performances have seen her earn nicknames including The Headhunter, The Welsh Warrior and The Flint Fighter.

"They're all pretty cool nicknames to be honest," she said.

"They call me 'The Headhunter' for my head shots and even though my natural instinct is to go for the headshot it does sometimes make me feel like I have to score with them in fights. But the Welsh Warrior is also a pretty cool nickname."

Jones was just 19 when she made history as Britain's first ever taekwondo Olympic gold medallist in London four years ago. The Welsh Warrior says she is now vastly improved and now hopes to make even more history by becoming the first taekwondo fighter to win three Olympic gold medals.

"It's pretty mad being a double Olympic champion at 23," she said.

"I remember getting into the national team at 17 with hopes of making it to London without really believing I could do it. But I knuckled down in the gym and kept pushing hard and before I knew it I was going to London and had a chance of winning.

"I just took the chance with both hands and got gold straightaway and I've managed to get better since then. Going to Tokyo and getting another gold has to be the aim.

"It's amazing to be up there with legends in my sport like Wu Jingyu and Steven Lopez and to think that I can make history again by doing one better and be the first fighter to get three just drives me even more."