23 May 2023
The Team Ireland Taekwondo athletes have been named for the European Games in Krakow, Poland next month. Tokyo 2020 Olympian Jack Woolley will compete in the -58kg category, with Leroy Nsilu Dilandu competing in the -74kg event. The two Tallaght athletes have enjoyed podium success in recent months, at GPs around Europe. Over the coming weeks, the full Irish team will be named, with over 120 athletes set to compete.
Taekwondo takes place in the Krynica-Zdroj Arena approximately 140km from Krakow City. The Men’s -58kg (Woolley) will be taking place on the 23rd of June, and the Men’s -74kg (Nsilu Dilandu) on the 25th of June. This event is a key one for the Irish athletes, with Olympic ranking points on the line for the athletes.
Woolley made his Olympic debut at the Tokyo 2020 Games, becoming the first Irish Taekwondo athlete to become an Olympian. He is joined by his former sparring partner, Nsilu Dilandu, who played an important role in the lead-up to the Games. Over the past number of years, 21-year-old Nsilu Dilandu has been making a mark in the -74kg event on the international stage.
TEAM IRELAND TAEKWONDO:
Jack Woolley (Tallaght) -58kg
Leroy Nsilu Dilandu (Tallaght) -74kg
Team Ireland Chef de Mission for Krakow 2023, Gavin Noble welcomed the announcement,
“We are delighted to announce the Taekwondo team today, Jack is always an exciting athlete to follow, and we are looking forward to working with him again. We are especially pleased to see Leroy make the jump up to this level and to supporting him in his first step into a multi-sport environment.”
Robert Taaffe, Taekwondo Head Coach said:
“Taekwondo Ireland is honoured to once again have representation on Team Ireland at a major multi-sport event. Our two athletes selected both auto-qualified for the event through their positions in the World Taekwondo Ranking system. Both Jack & Leroy have had an excellent recent record at events and we look forward to them showcasing their abilities in our sport in front of the bigger audience of the European Games and inspiring the next generation who may strive to wear the Team Ireland emblem on their Taekwondo uniform. Combat sports are really well represented at this event, and we look forward to watching & supporting all of our colleagues in the wider team”
The European Games is run by the European Olympic Committees and takes place between the 20th of June and the 2nd of July, with 7000 athletes competing from 48 countries over the 12 days of competition. Team Ireland will be represented across seventeen sports, with many of them on the Olympic qualification pathway.