Lisburn hosts best ever schools Judo championships at the LeisurePlex

The enthusiastic crowd witnessed 300 young judoka emerge onto Northern Ireland Judo in a superb event with Primary and Secondary Schools eyeing up the Championship titles. This hugely popular competition is a key development event for young judoka designed to expose them to a competition environment.

The Mayor of Lisburn Aldermam William Leathem and Dame Mary Peters attended the event and both agreed that this was a fantastic competition.

Judo is very much a sport on the up after the London 2012 Olympics and competitions at this level are sure to provide a further boost to the sport.

Northern Ireland Judo Federation Chairman Ricky Sloane said: “The Northern Ireland players have worked extremely hard to reach this standard.

“Our young players have shown they have what it takes but we want them to keep developing and hopefully in the not so distant future we will see some of them competing at European, World and Olympic competitions. I am incredibly proud of all the players that competed.”

A special word of thanks must be paid to Bill Taggart, Shinsei Judo Club, Lisburn and Mark Montgomery, Hazama Judo Club, Lisburn for all the hard work they put into organising the competition.

Local results from the Primary Schools Boys contest were: TEAMS - Third Maghaberry PS; U28KGS ORANGE AND GREEN BELTS Second Lorcan O’neill Ballymacrickett; U31KGS ORANGE AND GREEN BELTS Second Lewis Richardson Maghaberry; Third Adam Shannon Rowandale Integrated; U31KGS RED BELTS 8 YEARS =Third Max Colby Dunmurry; Oscar Rollock Graham Dunmurry; U37KGS RED BELTS Third Ben Thomson Maghaberry; U37KGS YELLOW BELTS Third Peter Cassidy Christ The Redeemer; U41KGS ORANGE BELTS First Matthew Mc Geown Maghaberry; Third Max Taylor Harmony Hill; U45KGS RED BELTS Third Ben Gilpin Ballycarrickmaddy; U50KGS ORANGE AND GREEN BELTS =Third James Love Knockmore; Nicholas Macklin Copeland Wallace Prep. U55/60KGS First Scott Wilson Maghberry; Third Finn Malley Downshire.

Primary Schools Girls: U24KGS RED BELTS First Clodagh Mc Ateer Good Shepherd; U30KGS RED BELTS Second Kate Peoples Good Shepherd; U33 RED BELTS Second

Amber Currie Moira; U36KGS RED AND YELLOW BELTS Second Jessica Thornton Dunmurry; 36KGS ORANGE AND GREEN BELTS Second Cora Diver Oakwood; U44KGS RED BELTS First Aoife Moore Good Shepherd; Second Amber John Dunmurry; U63KGS Second Grace Mc Cluskey Ballymacrickett.

Secondary Boys: TEAMS First Wallace High; Third Fort Hill; O90KGS LOW GRADES First James Pentland Fort Hill; O90KGS HIGH GRADES First Graham Malley Wallace High; U81KGS LOW GRADES First Ben Pentland Wallace High; U81KGS HIGH GRADES Second Darren Taggart Wallace High; U66KGS GREEN AND ABOVE Second Tyler Graham Fort Hill; Third Ryan Malley Wallace High; U55KGS GREEN AND BLUE BELTS Third Ben Shilliday Lisnagarvey High; U60KGS RED BELTS First Matthew Pentland Wallace High; U50KGS GREEN AND BLUE BELTS Third Conal Mc Kee Friends Lisburn; U55KGS YELLOW AND ORANGE BELTS Third Callum Whitten Rathmore; U34/37KGS First Luke Mc Grady Wallace High.

Secondary Girls: TEAMS First Dromore High; Second Hunterhouse College; U52KGS Second Lauren Gilliland Hunterhouse; U57KGS YELLOW AND ORANGE BELTS Second Holly Mc Master Hunterhouse; U40KGS Second Daire Mc Cartan Rathmore.