LAST UPDATE | 23 Jun 2023
DUBLIN’S JACK WOOLLEY had to settle for silver in the 58kg final in taekwondo, picking up Ireland’s first medal at this year’s European games in the process.
Woolley lost this evening’s final to Spain’s Adrián Vicente Yunta. Having won the first round 13-11, Woolley was edged out 5-3 in the second before the Spaniard took the decider on a score of 14-11.
The 24-year-old Tallaght Olympian firstly edged Britain’s Mohammed Nour 2-1 in today’s -58 quarter-final, and then comfortably saw off Italy’s Matias Lomartire to book his place in the final. In a gritty three-round match, Woolley beat Nour 2-1 (13-12, 16-18, 10-10). He then totally outclassed Lomartire 2-0 (12-4, 14-2).
“It feels amazing to come away with a medal”, said Woolley. “You wake up in the morning and say ‘I want to be on that podium.’
“But you want to be in that top spot. I don’t want to just see the flag behind me. I want to hear the national anthem. Unfortunately I haven’t heard that just yet because you get them at major championships. I’ve silver medals at Europeans from other years. But today was really positive. It was a step up on past performances over the last while.
“It’s good to show a better representation of myself. And show the Irish public all the people back home and all the people that support me what Jack Woolley is actually made of.”
With reporting by Gavin Cooney
Updated 20.57 with details of the final
