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James and Tracey give asthma the
chop 09.02.10
Top Karate ranking for
Bridgend siblings
by Linda McGrory
JAMES and Tracey McBrearty have scored a rare Irish
milestone as siblings who have achieved 2nd Dan
black belts in Karate.
The local siblings' achievement is all the more
remarkable given that James, 35, and Tracey, 29,
both started Karate at a relatively late age and
both suffer badly with asthma.
The brother and sister from Carrowmaddy, Bridgend,
progressed to second degree black belt in Wado Ryu
Karate at a recent grading exam at their club,
Aileach, in Burnfoot. The pair have since been the
toast of the Ulster Karate Federation, of which
Aileach is a member. James explains that a knee
injury at the age of 27, first led him to Karate. |
"In 2001, I tore a
cartilege in my right knee while simply stretching
out on the sofa. I was off my feet for six months,
off work for seven months and put on a
stone-and-a-half in weight," he said.
"My father Jimmy was caretaker at Aileach Youth and
Community Centre at the time and he suggested I try
Karate. |
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I started Karate in
2002 to shift the weight and I was hooked." James
encouraged his sister to try out the sport and four
weeks later she too went for her first training
session.
They both achieved their 1st Dan black belts in
October 2007 and, just two years later, have now
been awarded 2nd Dan, despite suffering badly with
asthma.
"If we went for a long, hard training session, we
wouldn't be able to do it without the help of our
inhalers," he said. |
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James, who works as a
salesman for Johnston's Caravans in Letterkenny,
coaches Karate in Brooke Park, Derry. Tracey, who
has a computer programming degree, is currently
training four nights a week in preparation for the
European Championships in Portugal in April.
The McBreartys' coach, Denis Donaghey, trained them
from beginner level at Aileach. He said he was
delighted at their hard-fought awards.
"James and Tracey's achievement in getting 2nd Dan
ranking together is quite rare. I personally only
know of one other brother and sister in the country
who have it," said Denis.
He explained that 2nd Dan means the second step in
Karate but that each step up in Karate means at
least double the work it took to achieve the
previous one.
"First Dan means you have learned all the basic
techniques. Second Dan is the second step but it is
actually twice as hard to achieve. It is double the
commitment it took to achieve 1st Dan," added Denis,
himself a much-coveted 4th Dan black belt.
Aileach Karate Club is one of seven members in the
Ulster Karate Federation (UKF). The other six are
Culmore, Quigley's Point, Claudy, Waterside, Brooke
Park and Falcarragh.
The Federation boasts eight 1st Dans, eight 2nd Dans
- now including James and Tracey - one 3rd Dan, five
4th Dans and two 5th Dans.
The two 5th Dans in the UKF include Buncrana man Dr
Columba McLaughlin and Shawn Barron from Derry. |
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