New taekwondo star Lauren Williams is just getting started after silver at the Tokyo Olympic Games and has her sights set firmly on Paris 2024, and a gold medal. 

The 22-year-old from Blackwood missed out on the Olympic title conceding a three point-lead with ten seconds to go in the gold-medal match. 

The former World Junior Championship had to settle for silver after losing 25-22 to Croatia’s Matea Jelic but will be hoping to go one better in three years’ time and believes her teammates can do the same. 

Williams was at the Eastern Centre in Cardiff on Saturday to help inspire the next generation of sporting superstars or to encourage people to get active as part of I Am Team GB. 

She said: “I intend on doing at least another two or three Olympics, I've definitely got two in me, so I want my gold medal and I've not achieved it yet. 

“I'm going to do everything I can to get it so that means Paris and LA then that is in my sights as well, so the next Games is definitely Paris, I've not got the gold yet so that is what I aim to do when I am out there. 

“It depends on how many athletes we qualify of course but everyone that's going to is more than capable of pulling out a medal.  

“They will have proven themselves before in competitions and brought medals home at previous events, we were all capable of bringing back that medal it is just what happens on the day.” 

The I Am Team GB days offered free and fun sporting activities to help people get active, inspired by Team GB athletes and the Olympic Games. 

Alongside the activities in Cardiff, there was also free hero events at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland, and the Olympic Stadium, plus a family fun day at Paulton Park, the home of Team GB’s newest recruit Peppa Pig, with other events took place all over the country last weekend. 

Williams was on hand to give advice to some youngsters aiming to emulate her achievements: “I have had a really good afternoon, meeting some of the taekwondo athletes here, they put on a little bit of a session, and I got to meet a few of the youngsters obviously the older guys too. 

“There's a few of them actually that have signed up for the Fighting Chance programme so I can see the impact that these Games have had on the next generation already. 

“As athletes, what we hope to happen from the Games is to inspire the next generation and make an impact, obviously we love the medals but to see how inspired kids are back at home makes me proud to do what I do. 

“They've all been very starstruck! I'm just one of them and to see the smiles on kids’ faces and to see how much impact I have had just being in the venue before even having photos and speaking to them. 

“As soon as I walked in, their faces lit up it was incredible, it's a nice experience, I still feel like one of them at the end of the day, but it's good to share my experience and opportunity and hopefully, make them realize their dreams.” 

I Am Team GB is already a much-loved and successful mass participation event, having seen over one million people in the UK take part after the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and welcome home the country’s history making athletes at their local sports clubs and community events.  

The ‘Festival of Sport’ will harness the incredible stories of Team GB athletes in Tokyo to inspire people across the UK to ‘Get Up and Get Active’ at free and fun events held around the country across the weekend of August 14 and 15. 

If you want to get involved; go to IAmTeamGB.com to find an event near you.