11 different countries were represented in the Minor categories on the Saturday making this the most competitive children’s competition on Irish soil.  With such stiff international competition the only female Irish Gold medal winners were Sarah Jane Porter and Karen Kelly both from Samurai Uladh.  The Irish boys also managed two titles in the lightest categories with Mark Kearney (Renbukan) and Adam Collison (Black Eagle) winning Gold.  Turkish, Russian, German and British athletes won the remainder of the Minor categories. A special mention must be reserved for all the children who participated in the Judo for Peace Team event.  In particular Swords Judo Club who made it all the way to the final before being defeated by a German & Welsh combined team. Phoenix Judo Club were also well represented in the opening ceremony of the Judo for Peace competition.

Cadets, Juniors, Seniors and Masters took to the mat on Sunday.  Swords Judo Club’s, Ion Rusu, provided the pick of the Irish performances among the Cadets winning one of four Irish Gold medals.  The others were Adam Kelly (Samurai Uladh), Catherine Donnelly (Yamakwai) and Dillon Manning (Macroom).  Dillon’s Irish Open Gold was one of an astonishing six medals won by the Manning brothers.  Ronan (Bronze), Dillon (Gold & Bronze), Shane (Silver) and Lloyd (2 Golds).  Lloyd Manning produced the performance of the day winning 10 contests in all culminating in an eagerly awaited Senior final with Lusk’s Gerard Turner.  Older brother Shane made it to the final of the Senior –81kg but lost out to Tommy Dennis from Lusk who has dominated this division for nearly 10 years. Willie Power from Limerick rolled back the years in the heavy weight division winning Gold and almost certainly securing his first international cap for Ireland in many years.

Aoife Goulding (Waterford) and Sarah Hawkes (Renbukan) were the star Irish performers in the women’s categories.  Aoife, who is still junior in 2010, was in terrific form in both Junior & Senior events.  Sarah won her last ever Junior event and repeated the win against the Seniors.  Both girls had shown a glimpse of their form in the Judo for Peace final the previous day when, accompanied by Annette Smyth, they gave an exhibition defeating Norway by three Ippons in less than three minutes.

The IJA have certainly ‘raised the bar’ this year in hosting the most competitive Irish Open in memory.  German club BC Hemsbach produced some excellent Judo and performed a Judo exhibition for the Judo for Peace event that will be remembered for many years.  GB, German and French clubs and National teams from Turkey, Russia, Norway, Sweden and Scotland dominated the podium positions making the medals won by Irish competitors all the more valuable. Special recognition must go to those who have worked tirelessly and selflessly for months in order to make this event the success it was.  The IJA Executive should be congratulated as much as our players for how they performed in the City West venue and in the weeks leading up to the 2009 Judo for Peace and Irish Open Championships.