Karyna Nikitina on the double for Bushido

BUSHIDO Martial Arts Clondalkin boasted a handful of podium finishers at the Irish Open International 2017 in Citywest last weekend.

Karyna Nikitina led the charge for the club which was part of the organising committee that organised and hosted the huge event that involved 2500 competitors from some 40 countries.

After six months of rehabbing an injured knee and a broken nose from the Junior World Championships last year, Nikitina again proved unstoppable, taking gold in the -60kg and -65kg Junior Points Fighting divisions.

“Winning two Irish Open titles after such a long break from sparring in training and competing is amazing” said Bushido Clondalkin coach Ilija Salerno,

“She fought 10 competitive bouts through out the day without losing one match” he added.

In all the club emerged from the tournament with two gold, two silver and two bronze with Keith Cassidy securing their first medal in the Men’s +94kg Novice Continuous division in which he finished third alongside team club mate Marius Syper.

Zach Lamari took silver in the Boys -34kg Advanced category after he was pipped to top spot by a few points in the dying seconds.

Ema Comiskey made a really impressive debut on the competitive scene for Clondalkin by reaching the final of the Ladies Novice -65kg Points Fighting class and finishing with a silver.

“Ema has only been sparring two to three months with us and she’s showing a great future on the competitive circuit already” insisted Salerno.