TEAM IRELAND TAKE WAKO EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS BY STORM 2023
Team Ireland emerged from the recent WAKO Cadet & Junior European Championships sitting in 14th place in the medal table after a very successful haul of 29 medals.
63 athletes travelled to Istanbul in Turkey to take part in multiple kickboxing disciplines including points fighting, light contact, kick light, Full contact and K1. Ireland took home 3 Gold, 8 Silver and 18 Bronze Medals!
Amelia Lennon (KKC) taking the gold in a nail biting final in -37kg points fighting final against a strong Bulgarian fighter. Cillian McArdle (Tallaght Martial Arts) snatched the Gold after an all-out war in the-52kg Kick Light Final against Bulgaria. Sarah Hanratty (Carrickmacross Kickboxing) dominated in the -55kg point fighting against another Bulgarian fighter to take the Gold!
Eoin Finn and Edward Comerford left it all out on the mats to bring home very well deserved Silver Medals a piece. Edward then went on to win a bronze medal in another division! Oran Brady gave a hearty display in the ring to bring home a Silver. Meadhbh Duffy and Cathal Fogarty-Lithgow showing immense skill and taking home a Silver medal a piece in their very first WAKO European Championship! Arnas Rancas and Leon Zaidan proudly taking Silver home in difficult divisions. Markuss Bogdanovs fought all week in multiple divisions to bring home a Silver and a Bronze in two different disciplines.
Our Bronze Medallists were equally courageous, this being the first time to travel as part of Team Ireland for many, fighting their way to take home a well earned Bronze medal were: Dylan Green, Sean McMahon, Oisin Brady, Leo Scanlon, Leland Nooney, Dylan Zaidan, Katelyn Haugh, Yasmine Singh, Cian Colvin, Ryan McConalogue, Saoirse Fogarty- Lithgow, Josh Riddell, Ross Prizeman, Amy Wade & Lucy Conlon- Oates.
This is the first step for these young athletes on their journey in Kickboxing.
Roy Baker retires from the Kickboxing Ireland Executive Committee
Roy Baker – A man of many talents. Since 2019, Mr Baker has seen some of WAKO’s biggest achievements, chief among them, successfully having Kickboxing officially recognised by the International Olympic Committee. In addition to this, Mr Baker has also been the presiding President over Kickboxing Ireland during this time.
2023 was an extraordinary year for WAKO with the first ever Kickboxing delegation included in the European Olympic Games held in Poland in June 2023. WAKO then saw The Sport Accord World Combat Games hold amazing competition in October 2023. Mr Baker has been the guiding light to these achievements.
To close out an amazing year and an extremely fruitful 4 years with Mr Baker the Ordinary Electoral General Assembly which was held on 19th November 2023 in Albufeira, Portugal, Mr. Roy Baker was re-elected as the World Association of Kickboxing Organizations (WAKO) president for the mandate 2023-2027. A Kickboxing Ireland representative said, “We are incredibly proud to have Mr Baker as our own President being recognised in this way just goes to show how much work is being done in the background to push our sport forward to the future both internationally and at home.”
A well-deserved accolade for Mr Baker who had this to say:
“I am deeply humbled and honoured to have been elected as the president of WAKO for the next four years.
In this role, my utmost priority is to serve and develop our national federations and athletes, who are the very essence of our existence.
Over the past four years, we have achieved remarkable milestones together, and I firmly believe that the next four years will bring new extraordinary opportunities and also challenges. With the unwavering support of our WAKO family, I am confident that we will succeed together.
Our shared vision for a strategic and progressive future will propel our sport to its rightful place as the leading combat sport in the world.
As the President, I am here to support and serve the Board of Directors. I want to extend my sincere gratitude to all those who put forward their names. While we cannot select everyone, please do not be discouraged. I hope to have the opportunity to work with you in some other capacity during the next four years.
I wholeheartedly commit my energy, passion, and noble intentions to the development and growth of the sport of kickboxing.
Together, let us strive for excellence and create a legacy that will inspire generations to come in the extraordinary sport of Kickboxing”, Baker said after his re-election.”
We look forward to seeing what the next 4 years brings for our amazing sport.
