It was a clean sweep for local karate kids at the Manchester Youth Karate Championships last weekend in the boys 12 to 13 year old free fighting event with the top medals coming home.
And the NI team won a further three medals at the event when they joined the cream of young karate athletes from the north of England and Wales at the U16 competition.
In the boys 12 to 13 year event, Aquinas Grammar School pupil Shea Johnston from South Belfast took the championship title. He was up against his team mate Cillian Ferguson from West Belfast.
Cillian, a pupil of Malone College, had to settle for silver. The bronze medal in that category went to Armagh’s Jamie Gibson who studies at Newtownhamilton High School.
Elsewhere, North Belfast’s Sean Parker, a pupil of St Malachy’s College won a silver medal in the boys 10 to 11 year old kickmaster event.
West Belfast’s Anastasia Kachina, who studies at St Louise’s College excelled in the cadet girl’s (14 to 15 years) free fighting event bringing home a hard won silver medal.
Antrim’s Theo McCauley of St Joseph’s primary school fought well in the boys 10 to 11 year old free fighting event and was unlucky he didn’t make it to the final. However, he returned home with a well deserved bronze medal.
Belfast’s Cole Orr and Ahmed Ayman Hassan also formed part of the team. Although both boys’ fought well at the event, they didn’t bring home any silverware this time.
The team is coached by former international fighter James Brunton who is very pleased with the youngsters’ performance.
“This event gave them the chance to show what they knew by using the techniques they had been taught during squad training sessions,” he said.
“Their success proves they are capable of going further and I have high hopes for the team’s future.”
