Red Star Kickboxing in Glasnevin recently attended the all Ireland Kickboxing national championships which were held at City West on April 10th.
The tournament attracted over 500 junior competitors from across the island who were all seeking the coveted title of national champion in Kickboxing.
Red Star Kickboxing were well represented and were massively successful with no less then three fighters winning gold and becoming national champions in the sport.
Coach Jon Mackey. Nazreen Flannery (Bronze medallist) Robyn McDonnell National Champion, Eliza Bluma National Champion. Dayna Walsh National Champion and Weronika Kukula Bronze medallist
Eliza Bluma (15) from Finglas, Dayna Walsh (14) from Cabra and Robyn McDonnell (14) from Finglas were all successful in winning their respective weight categories at the championships.
All three fighters took on the very best in light contact, continuous kickboxing from across the country and came out on top after some tough and bruising bouts.
The three new national champs all train with well known Kickboxing coach Jon Mackey at his full time gym on Nore Road in Glasnevin. After the tournament Mackey had nothing but praise for his juniors;
“These kids have been training with me since they were very young. Their recent wins are testament to their dedication to training and to their hard work at the gym. We started preparing for this event many weeks out, they even came training every day on their mid term. They ate well, knocked the junk food on the head and came to the championships super fit and well prepared. There is nothing more a coach could ask for from a bunch of juniors. I’m very happy for them.”
Mackey mentioned that this year in particular was an important year for youth development in Kickboxing.
“This year is a very special year for kickboxing in Ireland as it is the first time in our history that we will be hosting the Cadet and Junior World Championships in Ireland. The tournament will run from the 27th August until the 3rd September at the world class facilities at the City West Convention Centre. The icing on the cake for our new national champions is that they now have the opportunity to go forward for selection for the Kickboxing Ireland national team. If they meet the criteria set down by Kickboxing Ireland, the national governing body for the sport in Ireland, they have the chance to represent their country at this prestigious event”
