Irish juniors taking on Muaythai and shining!

PICs via Dublin Junior Muaythai Open FB and (girl) via Sandee Irish Distrubuter FB

Girls have even more to gain from martial arts than boys says the organiser of one of Ireland’s largest junior Muaythai events.

The Dublin Junior Open is in its second year with a date already set for 2017. Along with the Irish Junior Championships in Waterford, it’s one of the few tournaments targeting young boxers.


On the day this year there were 125 boxers from different clubs; competing across three rings! The youngest were in the five-six age category, going up to 17-18 division.

Organiser Rob Carry said: ‘There are very few stages juniors get to compete on in Ireland so after a few years of complaining and bringing my students to the UK to fight we decided to put the Dublin Open together.

‘The goal is to basically keep improving the event from year to year, keep making it bigger and eventually do our bit to bring the Irish Junior Muaythai scene up to par with the likes of the UK scene.’

Some of the girls boxing at the Dublin Open! via FB

I missed this year’s event but the pictures and videos made me smile so much – what a gift for these kids to be competing in Muaythai at such a young age. The adult superstars we love to watch are made in these junior tournaments, and it’s so exciting to see Ireland playing a role in that!

One pic I really loved was this one (below) of world champion and trainer Ferial Felix Ameeroedien standing with some of the young champions; mainly girls.

PIC via Instagram @Ferial_Felix

Felix posted on Instagram afterwards: ‘Some amazing performances - the girl's ring had the most spectators! Wish I had started so young  👧 Well done to all the kids, great experience for them. Also really love the way Wayne O Broin as a ref makes them put the medal on each other after the fight - teaching good sportsmanship from a young age 💖 ’

Rob said: ‘Right from the start in our club we've had pretty much as many girls as we've had guys joining our kids’ classes. It's great to see - girls have as much if not more to gain from being involved in martial arts I think.

‘They don't get treated any differently from the lads and any perception that fight sports are not for girls - if it ever existed - is now long gone.’

The three rings in action PIC via Fusion Training Centre FB

There was a large team from Waterford Muaythai taking part – their Dublin Junior Muaythai Open highlights video on Youtube is well worth a look to see the talent coming through from all the clubs ☺💪