Woolley gets the nod for World Championships

TALLAGHT’S Jack Woolley has been included in the Irish Taekwondo Union’s preliminary team selection for the upcoming World Championships to be held in Muju, South Korea in June.

The South Dublin Taekwondo star has been picked at -54kg following his recent competitive exploits and is looking good to head into the World Championships as seed Number Two in a division which may have one athlete from each of the World Taekwondo Federation’s 208 national member associations.

Other local interest includes SDTKD Head Coach Robert Taaffe who is selected as Ireland Team Coach.

Woolley’s team-mates will included Conor Grassick [Peak Performance Taekwondo] who competes at -68kg alongside his Club & Ireland Team Coach Bobby Enright.

The Irish delegation are delighted to be joined by a support team which includes no less than a three-time Olympian [Beijing Gold, Rio Bronze] Dongmin Cha as Technical Coach, and Dr Christine SJ CHA, Team Doctor, and the Irish Taekwondo Union President Martin Fleming.

The team have an intense training plan in preparations for the world championships, with great Support from the Irish Taekwondo Union & SDTKD HQ at Tallaght Leisure Centre.

The contest ahead is poised to be the biggest Taekwondo event in history in the home of Taekwondo. Woolley’s Coach Taaffe noted: “This event will be the biggest of Jack’s career to date, and is a major part of our four-year planning.

“There are major points available to be collected and we will make a strong attack on the 120 points maximum for gold.

“We have some intense training and test events ahead to try out some tactics and we look forward to getting out to Korea to put all the year’s hard work into practice,” he added.

This weekend sees Woolley travel to the African Presidents Cup in Morocco, a G2 event which has double ranking points and which will draw some of the world’s most prominent athletes to Agadir in a festival of Olympic Taekwondo.

Bonus points will be available to any Africans winning gold, and it is hoped there will be some local athletes on the top of the podium to spoil the party.