Golden girl father 'nearly fainted'

The father of Britain's first female taekwondo Olympic champion said he almost fainted when his daughter Jade Jones claimed a gold medal.

Gary Jones said tears of shock ran down his face as his 19-year-old daughter earned her place at the top of the podium at London's ExCel arena in east London.

Mr Jones, who was hoarse from screaming support from the crowded arena, said he was "so happy" after the teenager, from Flint, North Wales, beat China's Yuzhuo Hou 6-4 in the women's 57kg final.

Mr Jones said: "I am so happy. I was so scared and so nervous, I nearly fainted. I was in shock - I'm still in shock.

"She was the first Briton to win the Youth Olympics and now she has come to London and won on her own soil. It is amazing.

"When she wants something she will take it.

"I am so drained watching what she has achieved. I can't imagine how she must be feeling.

"You know what? I can't wait to see the post box in Flint painted gold for my daughter - it's crackers."

Jones, whose grandfather Martin Foulkes encouraged her to start the sport aged eight to keep her off the streets, was given rapturous applause after she claimed the prize.

The beaming teenager threw her helmet in the air and did a lap of honour carrying the Union Flag after the final bell.

The crowd chanted "GB" and waved a sea of Union Flags at the jubilant teenager.

The teenager said: "It feels crazy. It's amazing and the crowd's amazing."

She called her coach Paul Green "a legend", adding: "Without him I wouldn't be where I am today."

Jones added: "Before I came out I thought, 'I'm not letting her beat me here in front of the home crowd'.

"To be the first athlete to win Olympic gold is amazing."

Earlier in the day Jones pulled off a shock victory over the world number one Tseng Li-Cheng of Chinese Taipei to earn a place in the final.

Mr Jones said: "I was nervous but at the end of the day it is who fights the best on the day."

Friends and family gathered in Flint to watch the teenager fight her way to the podium.

Jones's supporters crammed into Flint Sports and Social Club, where her fights were being shown on a big screen.

Her uncle Jeffrey Jones, 42, said: "She's got the gold. Absolutely fantastic. We've had a lovely day and we're very, very proud of her."

He added: "Everyone is ecstatic. Really, really proud of the girl."

Mr Jones said the family had been nervous watching the fights but that everyone was "buzzing" once she started progressing through the rounds.

"Jade has done this sport since she was a little eight-year-old. Her granddad used to take her and she has grown and loved it and progressed from there. As a girl she was a little bit shy but a really nice girl," Mr Jones added.

Jones's uncle said the family was "always praising" her ability, adding: "There was something there from an early age and she has just progressed and grown with it."

Spectators in the arena said it was "amazing" to see the teenager take home the medal.

Welsh fan Gemma Morgan, 39, who attended the event with her 10-year-old daughter Bethany, said: "It was absolutely brilliant.

"Not only is she Welsh, she is 19 and she has got a fantastic future ahead of her.

"I knew she had a chance at it. I brought my daughter along and she is inspired."

Ms Morgan, who lives in Reigate, Surrey, but is originally from Rhwibina near Cardiff, added: "The GB support has been fantastic."

Nick Frearson, 39, from Hampton Court, Surrey, said: "It was really great to see.

"It was obviously really quite close but she was amazing and has done us all proud.

"We were really lucky to get these tickets and had no idea we'd get to see Team GB win a gold."

Earlier in the evening, Britain's Martin Stamper narrowly missed out on a medal.

The 25-year-old from Liverpool was beaten 5-3 by Afghanistan's Rohullah Nikpah in the men's 68kg bronze medal match.