Local clubs excel at Northwest Open

This event attracts players from all over Ireland and beyond so there was plenty of strong opposition for the local judoka. Many of the UUC players are new to judo and this year’s Northwest was their first ever event. Overall the University club won 11 medals with Rebecca Cuckoo, who is now a biomedical student at UUC winning a gold and two silvers. Club Captain and postgraduate student Kingsley Hepburn won a bronze in the upper Kyu event and freshers Aaron Davison; Kerrie Coleman won gold in the male and female novice event.

From Coleraine Judo Club Simon McConaghie, who is only graded at yellow belt (5th Kyu), put up an outstanding performance by winning a gold medal in the under 60kg open category, despite most of his opposition being graded to at least at brown belt (1st Kyu). Simon also won a silver in the lower Kyu category. Another double medalist from Coleraine was Mervyn McConaghy who won silver and bronze medals at the under 76kg and lower Kyu categories. In the Masters (30yrs+) event heavyweight Philip Barnett secured a well-deserved bronze medal in this very competitive category. Full results by the Coleraine players are detailed below:

UUC Judo Club
Aaron Davison U66Kgs Lower Kyu Gold; Jack Dougherty U66Kgs Lower Kyu Bronze; Michael Gourley U81Kgs Lower Kyu Bronze; Alister Barton O81Kgs Lower Kyu Bronze; Kingsley Hepburn U73Kgs Upper Kyu Bronze; Kerri Coleman Lower Kyu Gold; Kerry Wallace Lower Kyu Silver; Niamh McGrady Lower Kyu Bronze; Rebecca Cuckoo U70Kgs Gold; Rebecca Cuckoo Open Silver; Rebecca Cuckoo U63Kgs Junior Silver.

Coleraine Judo Club
Simon McConaghie U60Kgs Gold; Simon McConaghie U66Kgs Lower Kyu Silver; Mervyn McConaghy U76Kgs Lower Kyu Bronze; Mervyn McConaghy U76Kgs Middle Kyu Silver; Philip Barnett U100Kgs Masters Bronze.