Olympian Jack Woolley undergoes lip reconstruction surgery after Dublin assault

Jack Woolley posted an image of himself in hospital following the incident on Friday night. Picture: Jack Woolley/Instagram

Irish Olympian Jack Woolley said the attack in Dublin which saw him hospitalised over the weekend "could have been a lot worse".

Woolley, who represented Ireland in taekwondo at the Tokyo Olympics a few weeks back, said he is recovering after surgery following the assault.

Speaking to RTÉ radio's Morning Ireland, he said he "got off lightly compared to other people".

“I was just walking down the street in Dublin next to the Liffey and turned around to check if they were okay because I heard a bit of noise, a few people on the street and stuff, and by the time I turned back around to look there was a few people on the road,” Woolley said.

"One of them just turned and hit me and apologised and said "oh sorry, wrong person" and continued on their way down then to unfortunately assault other people."

Woolley, who represented Ireland in taekwondo at the Tokyo Olympics a few weeks back, said he is recovering after surgery following the assault. Picture: ©INPHO/James Crombie

Woolley has been asked why he chose not to defend himself but says the attack was "literally just one punch".

The Olympian says a ring connected with his front teeth and "bust my lip open".

"At the time, the best thing to do was just get safe, find somewhere that I could safely call an ambulance and just get seen to, he said.

Woolley says that he feels "a bit embarrassed" over the attack but admits it could have been a lot worse.

"If I retaliated, God knows what would have happened because I know there was a lot more people in worse states," he said.

“I was the first one I recall being attacked and I was the last one put in an ambulance, that’s how bad the other injuries must have been.” 

He has since had surgery and is recovering well from the injuries he received.

"There was a hole in my face," the athlete said.

"I had to get my lip reconstructed back on, so I had to be put under, get it washed out, cleaned out because the way it was cut, it was all the way straight through.

"My top lip had completely like come off, so I needed to get stitches in the front and back to just get it back on."

"Don't worry about me. I'll be alright," Jack Woolley told his social media followers. Picture: Jack Woolley/Instagram

He added: "At the time it wasn't sore at all like it was, it was a lot of adrenaline going on at the moment so it wasn't until after surgery and the comedown off the anaesthetic, it started to be a little bit more painful."

The Olympian says it hasn't affected him too much mentally and he just wants to get back to training. 

"I'm just a little bit scarred physically," he said.

"I'm trying to get on with it as best I can go back to the normal go back to training and as quick as possible.

"I don't want to I don't want my life to start over and just a freak accident."