There was heartbreak for medal hopeful Jack Woolley as he lost his opening bout in the Taekwondo 58kg competition.
Lucas Guzman of Argentina claimed the win in dramatic fashion, 22-19, with Jobstown native Woolley hoping his vanquisher could make the final, to give him a shot at bronze, but Guzman lost his semi-final, eliminating the Irishman.
Woolley was leading after the first round before Guzman fought back to lead after the second of three rounds.
In a high-tempo third, Woolley looked doomed after a trunk shot from Guzman, but the Dubliner retook the lead with seconds remaining thanks to a head kick.
A challenge from his coach Robert Taaffe, looking for a five-point spinning kick to be awarded as opposed to a three, was rejected before Guzman won it with a last-gasp trunk kick.
"I'm devastated," an emotional Woolley told RTÉ Sport. "It's tough to take and it will be. Some people have come here to participate at an Olympics, I came here to win.
"I'm devastated with my performance, everything was mentally great, physically great. I stepped on the mat and it wasn't my day. Sure things happen and that's all, really.
"I wasn't happy with my performance at all. We had this gameplan and I went out and my legs went to jelly. It just didn't go to plan. I'm usually a lot more aggressive. Something just didn't click."
