IT was a very fruitful trip to England recently for three West Cork Kickboxing Club fighters – sisters Deirdre and Gráinne Begley and Greg Sheehan – at the Bristol Open international event.
IT was a very fruitful trip to England recently for three West Cork Kickboxing Club fighters – sisters Deirdre and Gráinne Begley and Greg Sheehan – at the Bristol Open international event.
The Bristol Open is a top-level competition, attracting fighters from all over Europe, but the three West Cork contestants more than held their own against the continent’s best.
The two-day event is split, with continuous contact on the first day – the focus of the West Cork entrants – and point-fighting on the second day.
For Deirdre, there were five tought fights across two weight divisions in the senior women advanced, but she was more than up to the task facing her as gold medals were claimed in the -60kg and -65kg categories.
Likewise, Gráinne reached two finals, needing six bouts to do so. In the senior novice/intermediate division, she was successful in the -60kg weight grade, while she picked up a silver in the +55kg at the advanced junior level.
Greg was involved in the -79kg and was desperately unlucky to lose out by just a point to the winner, however he can be most proud of his performance and head coach Ian Kingston was delighted with his achievement and those of the Begley sisters.
As well as the competitors, the club had Shane Begley and Mike Stephenson, grade A referees, involved as they continued their great work as an international WAKO referees.
