Mayo karate kid Aoibhínn takes world silver medal for Ireland
EIGHT-year-old Aoibhínn Monaghan from Belmullet has taken the silver medal for Ireland in the 13th World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia.
The Irish team did well with Cameron Reddy taking gold under 12, Aoibhínn Monaghan silver at under 8, and bronze medals for Alfie Gough and Victoria Gottwald in Kumite WKC World Champions.
Aoibhínn, a student of the Belmullet Karate Club INSK, was recently selected from trials held in Dublin to represent Ireland, with the INSK Irish National Shotokan Karate team.
The youngest competitor for team Ireland, Aoibhínn competed in kumite (sparring) in the 8-9 years age category. Fighting off stiff competition from Russia and Sweden to meet Pakistan in the final.
A rising star, Aoibhínn has been honing her karate skills since the age of 3, under the guidance of her father Padraig Monaghan. Padraig is sensei of Belmullet Karate Club INSK along with sensei Kieran Togher, and both accompanied the Irish team to Serbia.
Padraig Monaghan said: "We are very proud of Aoibhínn and all the students who represented Ireland in the world competition.
“It was a wonderful experience and an honour to represent your country. To win medals on a world stage is a remarkable achievement.
“We would like to thank all the support and well wishes Aoibhínn has received and in particular the support from her national school Scoil Bhreandáin Eachléim. Along with the guidance of sensei Stephen Hughes of INSK Dublin.”