THE Brady brothers packed a punch at the Kickboxing Ireland National Championships, as both Oisin and Oran brought gold home to West Cork.
2022 world junior kickboxing champion Oisin, in his last year competing at junior level (older junior, full contact), fought to gold at -71kg to retain his Irish crown. The 17-year-old has now won five national titles, and has qualified to represent Ireland at the European championships in late summer. The Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí student won world gold at -67kg last year but has now stepped up in weight categories, to -71kg.
Oisin’s younger brother Oran (15) will also be on that flight to the Euros as he brought more gold home to Priest’s Leap after victory in the -81kg young junior full contact. The 2022 world bronze medallist (older cadet) has made the step up into the ring, and like his older brothers before him, Sean and Oisin, Oran is making his presence felt. He could yet fight on the mat at the nationals in May, at -84kg, and depending on how that goes a decision will be made whether he will represent Ireland in the ring or on the mat at the Europeans.
The plan for Oisin and Oran, who are coached by their father Bernard – he runs ION Kickboxing Club in Castletownbere –, is to organise good sparring over the coming months, and the Brady brothers also hope to compete at the Turkish Open in Istanbul in May, which is part of the WAKO World Cup series.
