Jack will Taek-won the world

WHEN 22-year-old Jack Woolley lines out on the mat at the Tokyo Olympics on Saturday, the Taekwondo athlete will know he has the full backing of his family and community.

Growing up in Jobstown, Jack was first introduced to Taekwondo when his older brother took up the sport as a means of learning self-defence, as he was being bullied.

While his brother was training, Jack, a past pupil of Holy Family Community School in Rathcoole, would be on the sidelines “acting the maggot”, according to his mother Annette, as he was too young to take part but was a ball of energy.

“He’s naturally flexible,” Annette told The Echo. “His grandad used to coach gymnastics during the summer and Jack was always doing the splits. He can’t remember a time when he couldn’t do the splits.”

Jack on the phone to his mam from Tokyo

This flexibility meant Taekwondo was a natural fit for Jack, who has risen through the ranks to become Ireland’s first ever Taekwondo athlete in the Summer Games. He has also medalled at several international competitions.

When asked if there was a moment when she realised that her son was going to go far in Taekwondo, Annette said: “It was during the 2012 Olympics.

“We were in Greece at an Olympic training camp being put on by two coaches who had taught at Olympic level.

Jack Woolley practising his moves with his grandad Joe Mangan

“I distinctly remember saying to the coaches, ‘I have a question for you and I want an honest answer, and I’m not a mammy who needs to be told their son is amazing – is it worth mortgaging my house to pay for Jack’s training?’

“They said that Jack had it in him to be a world champion with the right support behind him.”

That support was provided by his family and community in spades, who over the years have held fundraisers to enable him to compete in competitions abroad, which were necessary for him to rise through the ranks.

Jack’s biggest supporter, however, was his late grandmother Theresa Mangan, who passed away in 2018, but will be a supportive presence throughout his time at the Summer Games.

“I got an ID barrel, a thing you put on a dog’s collar with their details in it,” explained Annette. “I filled it with his nana’s ashes and superglued it, so he could bring it over to Tokyo with him.

“I thought he’d put it on a keyring, but he put it on his chain and it’s been there ever since.

“Obviously, he can’t fight with the chain on, but it will be with him and his nana will be ringside. Before she died, he promised her that he’d go to the Olympics.”

Jack’s parents had initially hoped to go to Tokyo to cheer on their son, but the pandemic meant they weren’t allowed to attend.

Instead, they will watch his match – which will take place in the early hours – at home, cheering him on from nearly 6,000 miles away.

“I get a horrible knot in my stomach when I watch [Jack’s matches],” said Annette. “I always have that worry about him getting injuries.

“And I wanted to be there to give him a hug if things didn’t go his way, but he’s resilient and he believes he’ll get a medal.

“We’re hopeful of a medal, but he’s already made history – he’s the first person from Tallaght to compete in the Olympics and he’s the first Irish athlete to compete in Taekwondo in the Olympics, so we’re already very proud of him.”

When Jack set off for Tokyo last week, his neighbours in Jobstown put up bunting in support of the young sports star – who no doubt will be cheering him on alongside his family this weekend.