JADE JONES shed tears of disappointment despite adding to Britain's growing medal tally at the European Championships in Manchester tonight. (Saturday)
"Maybe it's a blessing in disguise," sighed the 19-year-old Welsh teenager following her shock 16-8 semi-final defeat to Hungary's Edina Kotsis.
But certainly her second successive -57kg European bronze was of little consolation to the Flint girl.
"I felt really good and sharp throughout the day," she said.
"I played my first two fights well but in the third I just switched off.
"I know that girl isn't better than me. She hasn't even qualified for the Olympics.
"But I let her do her game and she punished me."
World Championship silver medallist Jones, who dropped only one point in her previous matches against Nikita Glasnovic (Sweden) and Deborah Louz (Holland), never recovered from conceding the first 11 points.
"The gap was too big to pull back," she agreed.
"I need to go away and make sure I am more focussed and switched on for the start.
"I know she is not better than me and if I get selected for the Olympics, I've got to make sure it doesn't happen there.
"But I just wanted to win gold here first.
"It is a great set-up and I loved the atmosphere and I just wanted to be in the final.
"I am so disappointed because it was my fault. But maybe it's a blessing in disguise.
"It's made me realise I am not at the top yet but it's made me more hungry than ever."
