Jack Woolley wins silver in Taekwondo at European Games

Jack Woolley has claimed Ireland's first medal at the 2023 European Games, taking silver for Taekwondo in Poland.

Having earned a tilt at gold, Woolley lost this evening's final to Spain's Adrián Vicente Yunta. Woolley won the first round 13-11, was edged out 5-3 in the second before the Spaniard took the decider on a score of 14-11.

Woolley had earlier secured a medal with his quarter-final win over GB's Mohammed Nour. Then he booked his spot in the final and a guaranteed silver with a semi-final victory over Italy's Matias Lomartire.

Afterwards, the Dubliner said it was "amazing" to take a spot on the podium, though admitted to mixed feelings that he couldn't take gold.

"It feels amazing to come away with a medal. It something (where) you walk 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."

Earlier on Day 4, Kellie Harrington won her lightweight bout against Miroslava Jedinakova of Slovakia, receiving the nod from four of the five judges.

Sligo's Dean Clancy, European U22 champion, won comfortably against Austria's Arsen Chabyan, being scored as the victor by all five judges.

Clancy, like Harrington, needs to reach the semis to guarantee a slot at the Paris Games next summer.

Despite a strong