Brilliant Zoe medals at WKF prestigious event

Zoe McDermott is Ireland’s first female WKF medallist.

Following the Karate Youth League in Guadalajara last week, Zoe from Kilnamanagh has made history by being the first female to ever medal at a prestigious karate event.

Zoe has been training with Mark Sheridan and Senshi Karate since she was 5-years-old, the now 20-year-old is a third level education student studying business in UCD whilst continuing to pursue karate.

Senshi Karate is a club based in Kilnamanagh and Cookstown run by former National Champion, national team member, and current Junior National Team Coach, Mark Sheridan, and first opened its doors in 2007.

The club has seen success over the past 10 years producing multiple national champions whilst also winning rounds at WKF events.

The WKF (World Karate Federation) is the Olympic recognised body for karate worldwide and is the highest standard of karate in the world, Irish athletes have been competing in these events for many years but have failed to succeed at this level.

Zoe’s second place medal is the second in just six months for Senshi Karate after Conor O’Sullivan’s second place finish at the Series A in Salzburg.

On Zoe’s path to the final, she fought four incredible rounds and narrowly missed out on gold in the final by two points after fighting 11th ranked Yuliia Krot from Ukraine in the final.

Zoe’s superb performances nationally and internationally has secured her a national team spot at the upcoming Senior European Championships in Armenia next month.