Maghera’s Ruby Catherwood crowned National Sparring Champion in Limerick
The 14-year-old martial artist leads a record-breaking medal haul for Elite Taekwon-Do NI at the ITA National Championships.
A talented Maghera teenager has danced her way to the top of the podium after being crowned an Irish National Champion at a star-studded martial arts tournament.
Fourteen-year-old Ruby Catherwood delivered a masterclass performance at the prestigious ITA National Championships 2026, held at the University of Limerick. Competing against the absolute best martial artists in the country, Ruby claimed the Gold medal in Sparring to officially become the Irish National Champion in pre-junior sparring, alongside a phenomenal Silver medal in Special Technique.
Ruby’s individual triumphs helped catapult her club, Elite Taekwon-Do NI, to its best-ever competitive results. The premier national event brought together over 1,400 elite competitors representing 57 clubs from across Ireland for an intense, top-tier weekend of action.
Rising to the challenge on the largest stage in Irish Taekwon-Do, the squad turned in a record-setting performance, finishing Day 1 ranked as the incredible 3rd best club overall in the entire country.
While Ruby stole the local headlines, her Elite Taekwon-Do NI teammates also enjoyed an exceptional weekend on the mats, securing a massive medal haul across patterns, sparring, and special technique disciplines:
Joel Birkett: Dominated the field to take home two Gold medals (Sparring and Patterns) alongside a Silver medal (Special Technique).
James Curtis: Secured top honors with a Gold medal (Sparring) and a Silver medal (Patterns).
Harley Jackson: Clinched a fantastic Gold medal (Patterns) and a Silver medal (Sparring).
Juhana McGown: Powered through to win a Gold medal (Patterns) and a Bronze medal (Sparring).
Luke Stirling: Starred in the aerial discipline to win a Gold medal (Special Technique).
Kristians Frisbergs: Matched the high standards to claim a Gold medal (Special Technique).
Parker Pritchard: Fought hard to bring home a brilliant Bronze medal (Sparring).
The impressive podium finishes for Joel Birkett and Juhana McGown come at a pivotal moment, as both local athletes prepare to test for their coveted Black Belts this winter.
Head Coach Dean Pritchard expressed immense pride in Ruby and the rest of the high-flying squad after the high-stakes weekend.
"This is by far the best overall performance our club has ever delivered," said Coach Pritchard. "The ITA National Championships are exceptionally competitive, and I was genuinely in awe watching our athletes on the mat. Ranking 3rd overall out of 57 clubs after the first day is a massive statement.
"It is a true testament to the courage, relentless effort, and hard work these kids are putting in week in, week out."