A green army is headed to Italy to represent Ireland in kickboxing
This weekend, a team of almost Irish 100 athletes are making their way to Rimini in Italy to take part in the Junior World Championships of one of the world’s fastest growing sports - kickboxing.
As the 97 fighters aged between 10 and 18 get ready to fly the flag for Ireland at the week-long tournament, here's everything you need to know to cheer them on.
The championship is run by the World Association of Kickboxing Organisations (WAKO). The term kickboxing covers a group of standing combat sports based on kicking and punching, historically developed from karate, Muay Thai and western boxing.
WAKO has recently been recognised by The International World Games Association (IWGA) and has been invited to participate in the World Games in 2017. IWGA membership is generally regarded as the final stepping stone before Olympic recognition.
President of Kickboxing Ireland, Roy Baker, believes Olympic recognition will come sooner, rather than later, for the sport.
“I believe it will happen, maybe in 2020 or 2024,” said Baker. “Certainly within the fighting careers of the participants in these Junior Championships.”
Baker is himself a former World and European kickboxing champion and is part of a strong Irish tradition in the sport. There have been a number of Irish World champions – both male and female – across a range of weights, and Ireland are currently ranked sixth in the world in kickboxing.
Luke Menton, Lauren Bradshaw and John McAteer are just three of Ireland’s current champions who are going to Rimini to defend their titles.
The Championships are divided into three age groups:
• Younger Cadets - 10, 11, and 12-year-olds
• Older Cadets - 13, 14, and 15-year-olds
• Junior - 16, 17, and 18-year-olds
There are a number of weight divisions and both female and male categories at each age range.
There are also a number of different styles of fighting.
• is a discipline where two fighters fight with the primary goal of scoring defined points using controlled legal techniques with speed, agility, and focus.
• , where the intention of a fighter is to beat his opponent with full power and strength.
• is full contact kickboxing in which there is also the possibility of attacking the opponent's legs with clean kicks.
• , a discipline where competitors fight continuously until the central referee commands STOP or BREAK.
• similar to light contact, competitors must fight with well-controlled technique.
• an imaginary fight against one or more opponents in which the performer uses techniques from Martial Arts to music they have chosen themselves.
• rules come directly from Japanese kickboxing.
There are 42 countries taking part with more than 2500 participants across all categories.
The 97 athletes are drawn from clubs all over Ireland and have trained for years to reach the level required for entry to the tournament.
Only two competitors from Ireland are allowed in each division, so entrants represent the peak of their age and weight range.
Ireland have competitors in the categories of point fighting, full contact, light contact and musical forms.
Over the weekend we will be profiling a number of young athletes from one club, but Baker is keen to emphasise the effort that all the fighters put into kickboxing.
“To see the the effort and the gumption that these kids put into their sport is fantastic” said Baker, “it really agitates me that they don’t get the recognition for the work they have put in.”
Six to seven days training per week will have been the norm for the last three months as they readied themselves for the tournament. The sacrifice of time has been enormous, but they are hopeful of seeing rewards in the form of a serious medal haul for the country.
Like a lot of minority sports in the country, Kickboxing Ireland struggles to find funding. They are affiliated to the Irish Sports Council, but the vast majority of their financing comes from fundraising by the individual clubs.
Race nights, cake sales and bag-packing; the clubs have worked for months to pay the costs of attendance at the Championships.
"Don't forget the parents," added Baker, "they are the fundraisers and the taxi drivers."
In total, a group of 176 people are attending the games from Ireland. As the majority of the fighters are under 18, and a large number of chaperones are required; in many cases a parent or guardian.
Add to that coaches and support staff and you have a sizeable Green Army going to represent us in Italy, determined to excel in Irish colours.
On Sunday we will meet some of the athletes who will be representing us next week.
