January Sports Star of the Month January 2017 – Jack Woolley

By Stephen Leonard

TALLAGHT’S Jack Woolley has again made a blistering start to the new year with bronze medals secured in both the German and US Taekwondo Opens- two World Taekwondo Federation ranking events.

The South Dublin Taekwondo star has risen to World Number 2 in the -54kg weight division and is into the top 15 at Olympic weight.

The first event of the year, the German Open in Hamburg, showcased the new rule changes in WTF Taekwondo.

Woolley went into the competition seeded Number One, giving him a bye into the second round where he faced Hassan Haider of GBR who, last year, defeated the Tallaght man at the semi finals of the same event.

Yet Woolley emerged top this time around, defeating the Scot 15-13 and setting up a quarter final clash with Spaniard Javier Vicente Ramos whom he beat 20-14.

This led to a semi final against Tunisia’s Mohamed Grami whom the Tallaght native had already beaten twice.

Yet a last-gasp attack by the African Championship silver medallist denied Woolley victory and forced  him to settle for bronze again in Germany.