Four-midable family enjoys Taekwondo success

FOUR members of the same family from Clontarf Taekwondo Club competed in the sixth ITF Taekwondo World Cup 2016 in Budapest recently.  

Founding club member Gerry Mooney won the title of Overall Senior Male, following a win of a gold and two bronze medals in sparring, special technique and patterns. Ireland came second place overall.

Mr Mooney’s two daughters, Rebecca (16) and Emma (12), and his niece Andreya Mooney (14) also competed.  

The three medals equated to nine points for Mr Mooney. With 63 people competing in his division, the next person behind him had seven points on the Saturday evening. 

“So we had a nervous wait on the Sunday to see if anyone would overtake me. Nobody did and so I won overall in my division,” Mr Mooney said. 

Rebecca said: “It was amazing because I know how hard he’s worked in the club. I was really proud to see how far he has come.”

Rebecca, Emma and Andreya made it to the quarter final stages of their individual categories. 

“It’s a fantastic achievement to get that far and that experience is really going to stand to them,” said Mr Mooney. 

Rebecca has gone above and beyond with her sporting success over the past few years. She was awarded overall junior female winner at the ITF European Championship 2014. She also competed in World Championships and won gold in sparring in the European Championships 2016. 

Mr Mooney described how he felt seeing his family compete at the World Cup. 

“I do feel emotional because you’ve seen them come from white belts all the way up and be so successful in their own right. Rebecca obviously, but Andreya has been winning golds at all the competitions that she’s been in.

“Emma is the special techniques queen; she’s been fantastic at that. 

“At the last three competitions she’s been gold, gold, gold. It’s just fantastic to see them come from zero to here in the space of three or four years,” he said. 

Four other members of the Clontarf club also competed in the World Cup. Mr Mooney praised everyone for the commitment and hard work they put into the training regime in the lead up to Budapest. The usual routine of three to four days of training was upped to six or seven days a week.

“Just watching that development in the four months of the training really makes you see what you can achieve when you time the peaking at the right time, how it can work really well,” he said. 

Meanwhile, the Irish Taekwondo Association Irish Cup 2016 took place this month. Andreya won gold in patterns and sparring, now a two-time national champion. Emma went on to win bronze in special technique. 

Clontarf Taekwondo Club was founded in 2013 in Belgrove Boys’ School. The club has reached such popularity and success that it’s rare they can take in new members. However, Mr Mooney noted they are in the process of trying to cut down the waiting list. He credited the role that his wife, Bernardine, has had in the club and dealing with administration work. 

“It’s been a real family affair,” he added. 

REPORT: Hayley Halpin