Great Britain's Olympic gold medalist taekwondo athlete Jade Jones has insisted that her disappointing exit at last month's World Championships has only served to spur her on ahead of the European Games in Baku.
Jones entered the tournament in Russia as one of the favourites to pick up a gold medal having won six events in a row beforehand, but a technical fault saw her eliminated at the quarter-final stage.
The electronic scoring system froze briefly during her bout with Kimia Zernoorin, costing her crucial points on the way to a shock 10-9 defeat.
The 22-year-old, who became the first Brit to win an Olympic taekwondo gold at London 2012, begins her European Games campaign in the women's -57kg category on Wednesday, and she spoke to Sports Mole about her hopes for the tournament.
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How are you feeling coming into these inaugural Games?
"I'm excited to be honest, it's a different kind of competition, and when I got here it was literally like a deja-vu of London, with all the [Athletes'] Village. Especially being from taekwondo, you don't usually get to come to many multi-sport events, so I'm really looking forward to it."
What is the main difference between a normal taekwondo-only event and a multi-sport tournament like this?
"I think it's just being around all the different athletes. Normally it's just the same faces that you know and it's literally just the taekwondo team. There's a bigger sense of pride and [being in a] big team. Because it's all Team GB, you're all wanting to do well together. There's a good family feel going."
Your World Championships ended in bizarre and disappointing fashion - have you been able to get over that yet?
"Yeah, I think I'm quite lucky because there was another big competition just round the corner, whereas normally if that had happened you'd dwell on it and you wouldn't be able to fight for ages. This time it was, 'Baku's just around the corner' and I just had to pick myself up and crack on."
Does what happened in Russia make you more keen to succeed here?
"Yeah, definitely. It gives you that extra fire in your belly. I've never really experienced that sort of loss before, so it just made me think, 'Right, I never want this to happen again', so it's a case of train even harder, be more meticulous with every little thing."
Does it affect your faith in the scoring system at all?
"No, I just put it down to a one-in-a-million thing. I just happened to be so unlucky. It was my own fault as well because I should have never let it get level, so it's just learning from the mistakes of that and never letting it get close enough for little things like that to affect my match."
You were in such good form going into the World Championships - is it now a case of getting back to winning ways as soon as possible?
"It makes you little bit more nervous because you're like, 'I don't want that to happen again', and it makes you a bit worried. But like I said, I've got that fire in my belly and I can't wait to get in there. My aim is to take out the pressure, just enjoy myself and fight how I fight."
Will there be a mental hurdle for you to overcome in that first fight on Wednesday then?
"Yeah definitely. I'm not used to losing, so when you do lose it's not nice. It scares you, you don't want it to happen again. But in the same way it might be easier mentally because I just want to get in there and fight. I'm excited to get in there."
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You won silver in the European Championships here in Baku last year, are you confident that you can go one better this time around?
"Yeah. I have to be on it on my day. I've got a good few people in my way, and my main rivals Spain, but I'm confident I can get the gold."
You're no stranger to making history - what would it mean to become the first European Games taekwondo gold medallist in your weight division?
"Well I'm youth Olympic champion and senior Olympic champion, so if I can add this then I'd have all three. And it's the first time in them as well, so that would be amazing to have that."
Are you a bit surprised that it has taken so long for the European Games to come into existence, particularly considering the Asian Games and Pan-American Games have been around since 1951?
"Yeah, but at least it's finally here now. I reckon the next time it will be even bigger, and it will continue to get bigger and bigger. But it's good that we've finally got one."
Do you feel that you're on the right track to defend your Olympic title in Rio next year?
"Yeah in the whole scheme of things. Obviously the Worlds didn't go well, but before that I'd won six competitions and I feel like I've improved so much mentally and physically.
"I'm definitely on the right track to Rio, I've just got to keep it going. It will be amazing to be going in as the reigning Olympic champion, I've never really thought about that before, but that'll be pretty cool!"
Barney Corkhill
