World title delight for Ava

STRABANE’S Ava Logue was in sensational form in Rhodes when she not only earned a WKU World Championship title, but completed a full set of medals in the process.

The 13-year-old Holy Cross College pupil, who has dedicated the last year of her life in preparation for the trip to Greece won gold in the low kick event, silver in the girls team category and a bronze medal in the light contact section to achieve a stunning hat-trick of silverware.

“It was a worthwhile trip,” beamed Ava’s dad and coach at Strabane’s Kick Fit Gym, Aodhan. “She has been training for this all year. It’s been nothing but hard work all year round. She has been at it five days a week, jogging, training in Omagh, Castlederg, Derry, all over the place.

“She was determined to put the most into it to get the most out of it and she did.”

As well as Ava achieving her medals goal last week, so too did her club-mate Amira Fadili, who was very unlucky not to reach the final of her section, but earned a bronze in the process.

“Amira secured herself a world bronze medal after coming up against some tough fighters from Germany, narrowly missing out on a final which was a clear robbery where everyone watching was disgusted and shocked at the decision,” Aodhan observed. “Amira fought her wee heart out and done everyone absolutely proud.”

Also competing in Greece were Amira’s brother Ali and Lifford youngster, Tyler Doherty, both of whom narrowly missed out on medals success.

Ali started off his sections strong, coming away with a powerful and technical win over a Canadian opponent, scoring cracking clean shots. Unfortunately, he was knocked out of the competition going into the next stage by an extremely skilled and tough Russian and narrowly missed out on getting a world medal.

Doherty, meanwhile, had a few cracking fights where he showed heart and passion for the sport, battling it out with Italian and Russiaian opposition. Tyler was winning his fights in great fashion but unfortunately the judges decision went to Russia in the first and exhaustion and heat got to him in the final minute of his last fight and he narrowly missed out on getting a world medal.

Ava and Amira will travel to Liverpool in early December to compete for Celtic and International titles.

Aodhan’s attention will then switch to the Queensberry Rules after Christmas as he gets Ballindrait native, Dennis Laffery ready for a third fight against Neil Rawlinson as the County Donegal native goes in search of regaining the GCO International title title he feels was robbed from his grasp in Liverpool earlier this year. And this time he will have home advantage, with their trilogy being completed in Derry on February 22, 2025.