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Top Karate coach comes to Burnfoot
18.03.09
National Karate coach
at Aileach Karate Club
AILEACH Karate Club will welcome Irish national
coach Bobby Morton to the Youth Club in Burnfoot
this weekend. Scottish born Morton, a former coach
to the highly rated Russian national team, will take
sessions with junior and senior fighter on both
Saturday and Sunday. “Bobby is a very softly spoken
man, but I saw him in action at the World Junior
Championships in Italy last year and he’s a very
impressive character,” said Denis Donaghey, head
coach at the Aileach Karate Club. “All our members,
and those from the Ulster Karate Federation, are
looking forward to a good weekend.”
The schedule sees juniors take to the mats from
11am-1.30pm on Saturday with seniors following from
2-4pm. The running order is reversed on Sunday with
the seniors on from 10.30am-12 noon, and the juniors
on from 12.30-2pm. |
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The session comes ahead
of a local tournament that will be held in the
Aileach Youth Club on 28 March, and an international
invitational tournament, featuring competitors from
Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales and Romania on 25
April. Triple world champion Gordon Smith, who
Morton trained at last year’s World Junior
Championships in Italy, is expected to attend the
international tournament. The Louth man is one of
the rising stars in the sport and his presence will
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added interest to the
tournament.
Between competitors and spectators, around 1,000
people are expected to attend the Burnfoot venue for
the Ulster Karate Federation Invitational, giving a
major boost to the local area. Lead tournament
referee will be Carndonagh man Colm McLaughlin, one
of just two Irish-based world referees.
From 18-21 June, Aileach’s All-Ireland champions 18
year-old Denise Donaghey and 20 year-old Dean Barron
will be in Odessa, Ukraine for the World Senior
Championships. Because they’re both under 21, they
remain eligible for the junior grades and will
compete at this year’s World Junior Championships in
Romania on 3-5 September.
(Inishowen Independent) |
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