Cillian McArdle is crowned WAKO world Champion and (inset): Cillian being coached as a kid
McArdle on top of the world
CASTLE Park native Cillian McArdle became Full Contact Junior World Champion at the WAKO Youth World Championships held in Italy just over a week ago.
The win represents years of hard work for the young fighter who has been involved with Tallaght Martial Arts since the age of three.
McArdle participated in four bouts at the tournament winning all four. His opening performance saw him defeat Yazberdi Yazberdiyev of Turkmenistan before moving on to face Turkey’s Irfan Aldar.
A win over Aldar saw him matched up against Kazakhstan fighter Akanov Ansar in the semi final before victory over Ukraine’s Alim Iliasov earned him gold.
McArdle has already enjoyed a stellar international career heading into the competition.
Currently a sixth year student in Colaiste De Hide, he has earned previous podium spots at World Championships and other international competitions in the past and has been hugely impressive at National level winning an astonishing 14 Irish Junior Titles and then recently winning the Senior National Crown at just 18 years old.
McArdle’s success at the World Championships and eventual gold medal was long overdue after being subject to a controversial decision at last year’s tournament.
Clearly winning the fight against his opposition, McArdle was not awarded the victory and despite appeals lodged on behalf of Irish kickboxing and a ban being handed out to the referee involved, the final decision of the fight was not overturned.
He spoke to The Echo about the feeling of finally securing his gold medal, a year on after being robbed in 2025.
“It was a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. After everything that happened last year, I put my head down and got back to work and it felt so good to get the win. It was a huge weight coming off me just to get that win.”
McArdle spoke on his thoughts after returning from the competition last year and how he approached his training.
After putting such effort in, many may have been dissuaded from trying again after such a disappointing experience.
“That thought came into my head a bit. I lost last year and came home that night and it all just hit me and it didn’t feel good.
‘All the work that I’d put into it and then that happening. I thought to myself I might as well just go again.
‘Not to let other people put me down about this and I’m gonna overcome this. I just went back to work and worked harder.
‘It was a weird one, I’d never had anything like that before, anything that serious happening.”
