Brunton wins at NI Karate Championships

Oliver Brunton Jnr who took silver and bronze medals at the Northern Ireland Karate Championships; his father Oliver Brunton Snr and bronze medalist Tommy Little.

The training Oliver received in Japan shone through as he took to the mats in the Northern Ireland championships, with a silver placing in the men’s technical event.

Meanwhile in the men’s free fighting section, Oliver secured a bronze medal.

His proteges at the Lisburn club also excelled with Stephen and Saoirse McLoughlin scooping bronze medals in the children’s events. At the other end of the spectrum, Lisburn’s veteran fighter Tommy Little took a bronze medal.

Oliver Brunton senior was watching the day’s competition and is delighted with the performance, not only of the medal winners, but all of those who took part in the Northern Ireland championships.

“There is great potential here in Northern Ireland for our children who want to further their karate competition career,” he outlined.

“We have established the means for them to progress in Britain, and internationally at European and World competitions.

“Those of us involved in world karate are very hopeful it will feature in future Olympic Games and I have put in place a young athletes training programme for selected promising fighters in anticipation of the realisation of the vision of karate taking part in this premier international sporting event”.

Lisburn karate club trains at the Lagan Valley Leisureplex on Wednesdays from 7 to 8pm. For further information visit www.irishkarate.com.