BackInternational Irish Championships and Celtic Team Cup

This year’s International Irish Championships was hosted by the Irish United Taekwon-Do Federation in Neptune Stadium, Cork. The event had more than 200 black belts alone on the Saturday with colour belts competing on the following day. As usual there were more foreign entrants than Irish, a fact which aptly demonstrates the high standing of the competition. The countries represented included Ireland, Italy, Spain, England, Scotland, the Netherlands, Wales, Czech Republic, Northern Ireland and Belgium. Some countries like England had six different groups attending. Many of these organisations have been travelling to Ireland year after year and this is personified by Ms. Barbara Siraut and the Belgium competitors who have come to Cork without fail for ten years. The 2009 championships also welcomed Mr. Fernando Perez (Chairman of the ITF Tournament Committee for Europe). Mr. Perez was working diligently throughout the event rating the referee’s and judges in anticipation of the next European Championships which will be held in Cork in 2011.

The competition was graced by many world class competitors such as Silvia Farigu of Italy, Christian Oriolani of Spain, Leon Brydone and Padraig O’ Connor of Ireland and Libor Machen  of the Czech Republic. The black belt sections were large and extremely competitive. This was demonstrated by the fact that only five entrants achieved gold in both sparring and patterns. These were Martin Luckey (England), Jordan Dalton (Ireland), Brian Van De Brand (Netherlands), Shannon Murphy (Ireland) and Silvia Farigu (Italy).  The five men’s weight sections were won by five different countries: Valentino Atenzi (Itlay), Adam Swain (England), Leon Brydone (Ireland), Henry Blocks, (Netherlands), and Libor Machen (Czech Republic). The ladies sections were won by Silvia Farigu (Italy), Claire O’ Sullivan (Ireland), Emma Deakin (England), Iva Martincova (Czech Republic) and Stacey Weatherer (England). The IUTF and ITF Ireland pride themselves on a well run tournament with fair judging and this is demonstrated by the results and attendance levels each year. The final medal count for black belts was as follows:

1.       Ireland 70 medals

2.       England 52 medals

3.       Czech Republic 10 medals

4.       Italy 9 medals

5.       Spain 6 medals

6.       Scotland 6 medals

7.       Netherlands 6 medals

8.       Belgium 1 medal

9.       Wales 1 medal

The Celtic Team Cup

The Celtic Team Cup was also held on the same day as the individual black belt sparring and pattern. There were team sections in junior and senior sparring. The senior and junior ladies teams were won by England. The senior ladies team final was between the old rivals England and Ireland with last year’s champions England winning in the last bout. The Dutch boys won a large junior section with a strong team under the tutelage of Mr. Tim Kool. It was the first team win for the Dutch at the Celtic Cup. The men’s team sparring came down to Ireland and the Czech Republic. This was to be held on the following morning prior to the colour belt championships. The four foreign judges took up position and with Mr. Alek Milanov of Bulgaria as centre referee both team got ready. With the hall packed to the brim the first two bouts were won by the Czechs. Very few Taekwon-Do practitioners get the opportunity to compete in front of such a large audience with such a wonderful and electric atmosphere. The vocal support spurred on the home nation to two wins on the trot with Padraig O’ Connor and Shane Fitzgibbon both victorious. It all came down to the final nail biting bout which Leon Brydone won after his relentless attacking forced his opponent to concede. The crowd was ecstatic. It was a fitting end to Europe’s premier Taekwon-Do tournament.

The Next International Irish Championships will be held on November 13 and 14 in Neptune Stadium, Cork. It will be the ideal testing ground for the Upcoming European Championships!

The International Irish Championships-Individual Black Belts Results

Male Tul

Under 12s                           1^st Jordan Dalton Ireland

2^nd Austin King Ireland

3^rd Fionn Murphy Ireland

3^rd Eoin Fitzgerald Ireland

Age 13/17 1^st Degree      1^st Jeremy Dijkstra Netherlands

2^nd Jonathan Miloudi Ireland

3rd Daniel O’ Sullivan Ireland

3^rd Josh Veitch England

Age 13/17 2^nd Degree     1^st Brian Van De Brand Netherlands

2^nd James Stack Ireland

3^rd Richard Forde Ireland

3^rd Daniel Dowling England

Age 13/17 3^rd Degree     1^st Martin Luker England

2^nd Carl O’ Brien Ireland

Seniors

1^st Degree                           1^st Petr Linc Czech Republic

2^nd Marc Barnes Spain

3^rd Jan Formanek Czech Republic

3^rd Zdenek straka Czech Republic

2^nd Degree                          1^st Matteo Lecca Italy

2^nd Darren Twelvetree England

3^rd Adam Swan England

3^rd Lewis Baker England

3^rd Degree                           1^st Michael Whitlock England

2^nd Philip Whitlock England

3^rd Ashley Atkinson England

3^rd Simon Needle England

4^th/ 5^th Degree                    1^st Kevin McCabe Wales

2^nd Christian Oriolani Spain

3^rd Shane Fitzgibbon Ireland

3^rd DarrenHolmes England

Female Tul

Under 12s                           1^st Isabel Brider England

2^nd Lili Mannion Ireland

3^rd Emma Flanagan Ireland

3^rd Romy Mottershead England

Age 13/14                            1^st Shannon Murphy Ireland

2^nd Dayna Jones England

3^rd Feral Ashworth Ireland

3^rd Lauren Flavin Ireland

Age 15/17                            1^st Lorna Eden England

2^nd Zoe Mattacks England

3^rd Aisling Yataki Ireland

3^rd Alison Gartside Ireland

Age 13-17                            1^st Veronica Placido Italy

2^nd Natalie McColl England

3^rd Leighanne McCarthy Ireland

3^rd Carly Atkinson England

Seniors

1^st Degree                           1^st Anne Marie Rooney Ireland

2^nd Simona Hrabalova Czech Republic

3^rd Jana Bohackova Czech Republic

3^rd Kathy Connellan Ireland

2^nd Degree                          1^st Naomi Pearson England

2^nd Corrine Sri Wadadw England

3^rd Karen Douse England

3^rd Anna Ross England

3^rd Degree                           1^st Jennifer Friends England

2^nd Emma Deakin England

3^rd Claire O’ Sullivan Ireland

4^th Mary Mannion Ireland

4^th/ 5^th Degree                    1^st Sylvia Farigu Italy

2^nd Julie Scott Scotland

3^rd Barbara Siraut Belgium

3^rd Stacey Weatherer England

Male Matsogi

Under 12s (Light)             1^st Jordan Dalton Ireland

                                                2^nd Austin King Ireland

                                                3^rd Fionn Murphy Ireland

                                                3^rd John Luke England

Under 12s (Heavy)          1^st Eoin Fitzgerald Ireland

                                                2^nd Max Motherhead England

                                                3^rd Wayne Mulhall Ireland

                                                3^rd Cillian Howard Ireland

Age 13-17 (-42kg)             1^st Stephan Bohan Ireland

                                                2^nd Adam O’ Connell Ireland

3^rd Jason Costello Ireland

3^rd Kenneth Duignan Ireland

Age 13-17 Micro               1^st Johnathan Miloudi Ireland

                                                2^nd Cathal Kilbane Ireland

                                                3^rd Daniel O’ Sullivan Ireland

3^rd Joseph Wood England

Age 13-17 Light                 1^st Mart Luker England

                                                2^nd Ryan Quinn Ireland

                                                3^rd Ben Dale England

                                                3^rd Dylan Lacey Ireland

Age 13-17 Middle             1^st Brian van de Brand Netherlands

                                                2^nd Ciaran Cassidy Ireland

3^rd Ciaran Doyle Ireland

3^rd Adam Quinn Ireland

Age 13-17 Heavy              1^st Jack England England

                                                2^nd Niels Wildschut Netherlands

                                                3^rd James Stack Ireland

                                                3^rd Jeremy Dijkstra Netherlands

Age 13-17 Hyper               1^st Daniel Dowling England

                                                2^nd Richard Forde Ireland

                                                3^rd Edward Coleman Roberts England

                                                3^rd Cory Stephen Ireland

Over 35s                              1^st Karl Kavanagh Ireland

                                                2^nd Stefano Bulla Italy

                                                3^rd Phil Mottershead England

                                                3^rd Michael kirkhan Scotland

Seniors   Micro                  1^st Valentino Atzeni Italy

                                                2^nd Matteo Lecco Itlay

3^rd David O’ Mahony Ireland

3^rd Thomas Robertson Scotland

Seniors  Light                     1^st Adam Swain England

                                                2^nd Ben England England

                                                3^rd Gustavo Oyarzo Spain

                                                3^rd Andrea Picciau Itlay

Seniors  Middle                 1^st Leon Brydon Ireland

                                                2^nd Christian Oriolani Spain

                                                3^rd Vincent Coakley Ireland

                                                3^rd Karl Davis England

Senior Heavy                     1^st Henry Blocks Netherlands

                                                2^nd Shane Fitzgibbon Ireland

                                                3^rd Pilip Whitlock England

                                                3^rd Richard Harze England

Senior Hyper                      1^st Libor Machen Czech Republic

                                                2^nd Padraig O’ Connor Ireland

                                                3^rd Michael Whitlock England

                                                3^rd Jan Formanek Czech Republic

Female Matsogi

Under 12s                           1^st Nicole Swani Ireland

                                                2^nd Emma Flanagan Ireland

                                                3^rd Lilli Mannion Ireland

                                                3^rd Romy Mottershead England

Age 13-17 Light                 1^st Shannon Murphy Ireland

                                                2^nd Veronica Placido Italy

                                                3^rd Carly Atkinson England

                                                3^rd Aisling Dowling Ireland

Age 13-17 Middle             1^st Dayna Jones England

                                                2^nd Jessica Flanagan Ireland

                                                3^rd Shannon Holland Ireland

                                                3^rd Lorna Eden England

Age 13-17 Heavy              1^st Alice Wood England

                                                2^nd Aisling Yataki Ireland

                                                3^rd Emma Loedel Scotland

                                                3^rd Lisa Lonnergan Ireland

Age 13-17 Hyper               1^st Natalie McColl England

                                                2^nd Alison Gartside England

                                                3^rd Neidin Coulahan Ireland

                                                3^rd Ciara O’ Shea Ireland

Over 35s                              1^st Sophie Barnett England

                                                2^nd Corinne Barnett England

                                                3^rd Sandra Doyle Ireland

                                                3^rd Sandra Murphy Ireland

Senior Micro                      1^st Sylvia Farigu Italy

                                                2^nd Kathy Connellan Ireland

                                                3^rd Julie Scott Scotland

3^rd Jennifer Francis Ireland

Senior Light                        1^st Claire O’ Sullivan Ireland

                                                2^nd Aoife O’ Sullivan Ireland

                                                3^rd Laura Lupon Spain

                                                3^rd Karen Dowse England

Senior Middle                    1^st Emma Deakin England

                                                2^nd Liz McKenna Scotland

                                                3^rd Ann Marie Rooney Ireland

                                                3^rd Alison Webb England

Senior Heavy                     1^st Iva Martincova Czech Republic

                                                2^nd Moira McElligott Ireland

                                                3^rd Andrea Kinsella Ireland

                                                3^rd Simona Hrabalova Czech Republic

Senior Hyper                      1^st Stacey Weatherer England

                                                2^nd Sarah O’ Connor Ireland

                                                3^rd Jana Bohackova Czech Republic

                                                3^rd Aida Conde Spain

The Celtic Cup Team Sparring:

Senior Male: Ireland

Senior Female: England

Junior Male: Netherlands

Junior Female: England