Welsh Open

The –17yrs Irish Judo Team had its most successful International tournament ever at Cardiff last weekend. The 12 strong team achieved two firsts – more medals than ever before at the Welsh Open, and the first ever Welsh Junior Open Champions.
In total the Irish Team won 2 Gold, 1 Silver and 2 Bronze medals.

Yamakwai Judo players dominated the Irish medal tally winning two Gold, one Bronze and one-fifth place. Louise Brown from St. Peters also won fifth place with a very promising International debut. Yamakwai’s 5th place went to Matthew Rooney who won 4 of his 6 fights eventually losing the bronze medal to the current British Champion. Gemma Reynolds repeated her fine performance of two years ago to win her second bronze medal at this event. Next week she will put her number one Irish ranking up for grabs as she moves up to the –44kg category for the Irish Championships in Dublin.

The two stars of last weeks International were Caoimhin Thompson and Lisa Kearney. Both players swept aside the international field to become Irelands first Junior Welsh Open Champions. Caoimhin, who started his Judo in St. John the Baptist Primary School with the Ward School of Judo, gave his best performance to date. In the final he threw his British opponent with the most spectacular technique of the championships to win Gold. Caoimhin, still at the tender age of 13, has previously won the Irish Open and Scottish Open and with this win he must surely be in line for selection when the Irish Team next fights abroad.
Before these championships Lisa Kearney was considered to be Irelands best chance of collecting some silverware, and she did not disappoint. The St. Dominic’s pupil has consistently been Irelands best performer abroad and the gulf in class between her and her opponents was stark. Lisa won all her fights inside the first minute to win Gold. She will face a much sterner task in Spain in March when she will be the country’s sole representative in the first International ‘A’ Tournament of the European Circuit.
The rest of the Yamakwai Club will accompany their international club mates at the National Championships in Dublin next week where everyone can stake their claim for future International selection – Good Luck.