Talking MuayThai with Fighting Words

Questions flew in from some very well-prepared sports journalists, asking about MuayThai and really wanting to know what it's like doing sport as a woman. Surprising? Yes, and even more so when you know the intrepid trio are primary school students.

That's me in the middle getting the Sports Corrs Ready to Rumble!

Maeve, Oisin and Adam are working with Fighting Words in Dublin - learning how to make a newspaper and blog. They chose the sports department, and I was lucky enough to be invited along for one of  their sessions.

That's me in the middle showing the Sports Writers how to get ready to rumble!   

They had a list of detailed questions - it was a pleasure to speak with them. I'm sure lots of you doing minority sports have had the fun of being interviewed by journalists who don't know a single thing about your sport .... this was the complete opposite of that :)

Their group blog is  The Harold  and I'm really looking forward to reading the newspaper when it's out later in the summer.

The trio also interviewed Irish rugby player Fiona Coughlan - captain of Grand Slam winners 2013.

It's was so much fun talking about MuayThai again, something I don't do enough of anymore I realised. I'll see if I can embed the sports section of the paper here when it's done.

See the Fighting Words page for more info on the courses they run during the year.

Wordless Wednesday: women in sport

Twing_IT TWING_IT SportsNews 16 Jul

#WomenInSport via @fraser_coast questions from AUS re football http://ow.ly/n08Dc  via@wsnet pix Katherine-Switzer pic.twitter.com/Hj3mIBDw4r

 Hijabi_Diary MyEverydayStruggles 24h

@Hijabi_Diary #Hijab #Hijabi #muslimah #Islam #islamispeace #NoToOppression #WomenInIslam #WomenInSport pic.twitter.com/l7B92Vp5X0

leighleigh_f Leigh Ferguson 20h

The last medals of rhythmic gymnastics today. Such talented, athletic women! @FISUnetwork #WomenInSport #universiade pic.twitter.com/9GBNelUaSS

Surfer Easkey Britton goes Cartoon

Irish surfer Easkey Britton has come over all-graphic-like thanks to French Neon Magazine.

She tweeted this last night, thought you'd love it as much as I do! It's based on the film she is making in Iran, you might remember that from this fund-raising post.

Medal haul for Ireland at EU Women's Boxing Championships

Report from the Irish Amateur Boxing Association on the home-coming after the European Championships for the rather fabulous Women's team.

EU champions: Kristina O’Hara, Jacqui Lynch,Grainne Gavin and Amy Broadhurst (PIC: IABA Michael Hade)

The medal-laden Quick Park sponsored Girls In Green return home to a rapturous reception at Dublin Airport last night following their heroic performances at the EU Women’s Championships in Hungary.
Fifteen medals, a record for Irish boxing, were claimed at the 23-nation tournament in Kezsthely.

Katie Taylor, Kristina O’Hara, Grainne Gavin, Amy Broadhurst and Jacqui Lynch went all the way and won gold.

Taylor, who has now won 15 major gold medals since 2005, said she was proud to be part of the Irish squad.

“I’m just proud to be part of this incredible team, said the Olympic, World, European, EU and Irish lightweight champion and three-time AIBA World Female Boxer of the Year.

“Five gold, three silver and seven bronze medals! It’s unbelievable to come away with so many medals from this tournament. The future of Irish women’s boxing is bright with all these young girls coming through,” added the AIBA Ambassador for Women’s Boxing.

Katie Taylor EU Lightweight Champion (PIC: IABA Michael Hade)

“The squad performed magnificently, absolutely magnificently in Hungary. Fifteen medals, five gold, three silver and seven bronze, absolutely fantastic, said IABA President Tommy Murphy.

“They travelled to Hungary and distinguished themselves.”

“Tournaments like the EU Championships provide our young boxers with invaluable experience. It’s the type of experience that will stand to then as they progress in their careers.

“It’s also the type of experience that will prove invaluable going into the Olympic qualifiers down the line and the Olympic Games itself as I would be quietly confident that some of these girls will qualify for Rio 2016.

“Our young athletes distinguished themselves in Hungary this week and they represented their country with pride and we cannot speak highly enough of them and our management and coaching staff at the tournament.

“The clubs and coaches also deserve enormous credit for this wonderful success and all credit to them. I would also like to thank Quick Park of Dublin Airport for sponsoring the team for the EU Championships.”

More pictures on the IABA site

New Zealand's Haka by some very cute toddlers

The Haka as stomped through by Kiwi rugby teams is usually a pretty fierce affair .... until these toddlers got involved. 

They try so hard to be tough but I just couldn't stop smiling. 

The blurb reads: 'The boys from Brownyns Place - Daycare are the youngest haka team in the world (average age 3 years old) outdo the All BLACKS with their powerful innovative and creative rendition of KA MATE KA MATE!!"   ... pretty sure there are some girls in there too. 

The clip can't be embedded, you can find it here. 

(Saw this on Dan Carter's Twitter- @DanCarter)

Women's Rugby World Cup Sevens

Irish Rugby

This weekend saw some incredible rugby sevens matches and I was very excited to see the Irish women's team making the quarter finals.