UNBREAKABLE
Traumas mould Jack into Paris medal prospect
WHAT happened at the Tokyo Olympics and in the aftermath could have broken Jack Woolley.
Instead, Ireland’s taekwondo pioneer came back stronger and a better person for his troubles.
Woolley was raw with emotion after seeing victory on his Olympic debut slip away from him in the dying seconds.
On returning home to Dublin he was subjected to a brutal attack on the city centre streets that left him bloodied by the Halfpenny Bridge.
Yet almost three years on and with the Paris Games in his sights, he describes both traumatic events as among the best things that have ever happened to him.
Woolley credits his partner Dave, who he met on his return from
Tokyo, as the steadying force he needed to mature and find perspective and happiness. “He’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” Woolley said. “I love being an Olympian and stuff like that but I never thought I’d have this type of relationship because of the sport. It’s very hard to balance, being constantly away.
“He’s a personal trainer and understands it. It’s just nice to have.”
Aged 17, Woolley came very close to making it to the Rio Games.
When he qualified for Tokyo he was convinced he would win gold. Instead, he was left to deal with a dramatic first round exit.
“It just made me appreciate this cycle a lot more,” said the Tallaght man (left), an Allianz ambassador. “I want to enjoy this Games as much as possible.
“I felt like I didn’t go into the last Olympics enjoying it, I went in feeling very stressed and put a lot of pressure on myself. I’m the first person in Ireland to go to an Olympics in this sport so I felt like there was a lot of pressure on my shoulders to perform and put a good image of the sport out to the Irish public. My results in the last cycle since Tokyo have shown how capable I am of getting a medal at this Games. I showed the Irish people that I’m winning medals, like at the European Games last year.
“So I don’t feel like I’m going into these Games feeling like I have to perform in order to show people what I’m made of, I’ve already done that.
“I’m going to have the best experience ever. That’s the only way I’m going to come away with a medal.”
It was exactly a week after Tokyo that Woolley was attacked.
He later posted photos of himself covered in blood and slumped on the ground (above) – he required lip surgery to heal the wound.
“I use this phrase, ‘It’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me’ about everything that has gone wrong because I feel like I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for things like that,” Woolley remarked. “That incident happened and six weeks later I was in the ring again. And I won. I beat the European champion in the final.”