A CROSSGAR student has selected to represent Ireland at this weekend’s European Wado-Kai Karate Championship in Budapest, Hungary.
Nineteen year-old Niamh Cunningham, from Ophir Karate-do Wado-Kai Club, caught the attention of the selectors after collecting a silver medal in this year’s Irish National U-21 championships.
Competing in the Kata category, Niamh was invited to train alongside Ireland’s elite athletes on the Irish National Kata squad and is continuing with her training to fight for a position on the team for future international and world events.
Her discipline of Kata is the performance element of fighting techniques.
To achieve success at this level takes long hours of dedicated training and discipline and Niamh’s instructor, Siobhan Leckey, said she was pleased with Niamh’s progress for this championship.
The Ophir Karate members make up seven of the 30 strong Irish team who are hoping to return with medals and titles. If you are interested in joining the Ophir Karate-do Wado-Kai organisation, please contact chief instructor Siobhan Leckey on siobhan_leckey@yahoo.co.uk
New members are always welcome to the classes in The Bridge Centre, Killyleagh, on Thursdays from 7-8.30pm, Ophir HQ on Mondays from 7.30-9.30pm and in Crumlin Leisure Centre, Thursdays from 7-8pm.