JACK Woolley may have competed at the Olympic Games — but taking part in Dancing With The Stars is “the best thing he’s ever done”. Jack, 25, has represented Ireland in Tokyo and Paris, carving his name into -history as the country’s Taekwondo trailblazer. But for Jack, reaching the final of DWTS meant more than any medal in the martial art. He said: “When the opportunity of going on DWTS came up, I was like, yeah, 100 per cent, this is something that I really need in my life. “I need something else to focus on because I’d spent my whole life just doing the one thing. And it kind of became the be all and end all. “I wasn’t Jack Woolley anymore. I was Jack Woolley, the Taekwondo athlete 24-7. And I wasn’t able to be myself. So I used the TV show to kind of show my true self and get myself back. “The goal for me was to be authentic for the people at home, because yeah, the Olympics is probably the biggest sporting event in the world. And to even call yourself an Olympian is an achievement in itself. “I was able to go out and show my personality, I think it got a lot of attention. “People were coming up to me in the streets being like, oh, your story about this, or when you were talking about your anxiety, or when I dedicated my dances to Kellie Harrington and my relationship with my dance partner Alex Vladimirov — there was so many different aspects that not many people got to see. “And it was just an opportunity of a lifetime. Personally, I know I’ve been to the Olympics and everything, but for me, it was probably the best thing I’ve ever done.” The show also helped Jack to learn to love Taekwondo again, and he is now living and training in Madrid to prepare for his next big challenges, including the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028. He added: “Sometimes you lose yourself in high level sports, especially at Olympic level. It can be lonely. “But once I have allowed myself to be more open to having a team environment and just enjoying the sport again, it’s really helped me improve.” Jack was speaking at the launch of VHI’s Health and Wellbeing Fund, which will give grants of a total of €85,000 to youth groups around the country who help young people with anxiety and building their resilience. The applications are open until June 11 and you can apply on the website iyf.ie/grants.