Members of Tallaght Martial Arts pictured at the Bristol Open, where they claimed seven gold, four silver and nine bronze medals
Golden weekend in Bristol for Tallaght Martial Arts
TALLAGHT Martial Arts have brought home a hugely impressive 20 medals from the Bristol Open with seven golds, four silver and nine bronze making up the tally.
A team of 13 fighters travelled over to Bristol to compete.
The small but determined team faced tough opposition with fighters competing across multiple divisions, showing continued development in their skillsets.
Georgia Clarke secured bronze in the +47kg points section, while Isabel Golding delivered some spectacular fighting to claim bronze medals in both the +65kg points and light contact divisions.
Daire Ryan and Conor McClelland both competed in their advanced points fighting sections.
Although neither secured a podium finish, both put in excellent performances, demonstrating their continued development and the progress they are making with every step onto the mats.
The Feeney family were certainly kept busy, with both Lauren and Liam competing across multiple divisions.
Lauren enjoyed a fantastic weekend, taking silver in -55kg rookie points, bronze in -55kg intermediate points and another bronze in -60kg rookie points.
Her brother Liam faced three huge advanced sections, reaching the quarter-finals in both the -42kg light contact and points divisions before securing bronze in the -47kg section.
Ann Marie O’Grady also took to the mats, performing brilliantly in both her veteran divisions.
She claimed bronze in the +65kg points section before taking a well deserved gold in -65kg points.
The Myers brothers continued their hot streak for top of the podium finishes, with both competing in advanced divisions.
Max Myers took gold in both his -79kg kick light and light contact sections, while brother Adam secured gold in -57kg light contact and silver in kick light.
Max Byron May was another busy fighter, moving between mats to compete in multiple divisions.
He secured bronze in the -42kg advanced points section before taking gold in -42kg intermediate light contact, adding two fantastic results to the team’s medal haul.
Senior fighters Eryn Birkhead also delivered a brilliant performance, taking gold in her light contact section and Gar Ryan faced a phenomenal field in the -84kg points division, fighting his way to a well-earned silver medal.
With the Senior European Championships in North Macedonia just weeks away, the event provided another valuable opportunity to sharpen their skills and build momentum ahead of the international competition.
Last but by no means least, Jaiden Ferrer Hoare was a pleasure to watch as he grew in confidence with every fight. Competing across three categories, including stepping up into the advanced sections, Jaiden reached the quarter-finals in -57kg points and the last 16 in -52kg advanced points.
He then produced a superb performance in the -57kg intermediate section, dominating his opposition to take home the gold medal.
With 20 medals coming home to Tallaght and plenty of lessons learned along the way, the team can be proud of what they achieved.
The work continues back in the gym as they build on these performances and prepare for the competitions ahead.
