A FLINTSHIRE Olympian has thanked fans for their support after suffering with disappointment in Japan – and vows this is not the end.

Jade Jones had her eyes set on becoming the first British female to win gold medals at three consecutive Olympics, having already claimed gold in London and Rio.

The 28-year-old was denied that chance after a shock defeat in the first round of the Sunday taekwondo fights against the Refugee Team’s Kimia Alizadeh.

She was denied the chance to compete for the bronze title as the competition went on, meaning she will leave Tokyo empty handed.

The Team GB icon, who was born and raised in Flint, has since broken her social media silence to affirm that her sporting story is not over just yet.

On Monday, Jade posted an update to Twitter saying: “'Should've, would've ,could've!' is how I feel. Wish so bad I had a do over button and I could do yesterday [Sunday] again but I can’t.

“A massive thank you for all the love, support and kind word, it has meant the world. Time to reflect but the Jade Jones story continues...”

Shortly after this, she shared a congratulatory update for taekwondo teammate Bradly Sinden who claimed Team GB’s first silver medal of the Summer Games in the Japanese capital.

The town’s ‘Golden Girl’ said she was affected by the absence of her family and friends due to pandemic restrictions.

On Sunday, she told the PA news agency: “I just felt I put too much pressure on myself going into it and I really did feel it more than I expected.

“Not having my family there to push me out of that fear zone really did affect me, and I’m gutted I couldn’t do more on the day.

“Normally if I feel the pressure, I’ll go out and hear them screaming and see their little faces, and it’ll push me into that attack mode - that’s what was missing today. I just stayed in the scared mode.”

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Jade’s defeat failed to puncture the party mood back in her home town of Flint, where those friends and family members had congregated in her auntie’s garden to watch her progress on a specially-erected big screen.

“I’ve got the best family in the world,” added Jones.

“I call them ‘Team Crazy’, and it shows even more that when I lost I Facetimed them and they were all celebrating as if I’d won, and they were all so proud of me.

“So, I’m really lucky to be going back to that, win or lose. I’ve got all of them and that’s what helps, really.”

The Leader previously reported how Jade’s grandad Martin Foulkes said it would be strange having to ‘watch from miles and miles away’ this time around.