Laois teenager, Shane Allison has been crowned champion at the 2023 European Taekwon-Do Championship last weekend.
Shane, from Ballybrittas, recently turned 17 and what a way this was to celebrate his birthday.
He proudly represented Ireland, who finished fourth overall at the event, held in Cluj Napocca, Romania.
Taekwon-Do is a Korean form of martial arts characterized by punching and kicking techniques, with emphasis on head-height kicks, spinning jump kicks, and fast kicking techniques.
Shane is a 1st Dan Black Belt, who earned his credentials in Níō Taekwon-Do, Newbridge and Portarlington Taekwon-Do before that.
He has previously won the bronze medal representing Ireland at the 2022 World Kickboxing Championships and won both bronze and silver medals at the 2022 European Taekwon-Do Championships in Croatia.
But he went one better in Romania, beating a local opponent in the 75kg weight-class final to secure an outstanding gold medal for himself and his country.
On his way to the final, Shane defeated opponents from The Nederlands, Sweden, Croatia and Norway.
The final took place in the Gala on Saturday last and Shane had to walk out with a camera in front of him to lights and music.
It was an electric atmosphere as his picture and name were up on big screens in the arena.
Ireland finished with an outstanding seven gold medals, four silver and four bronze, finishing just behind Ukraine, Poland, and overall winners, hosts, Romania.
A student in St Paul’s Secondary School Monasterevin, Shane is coached by Mr Hong Looi and Ms Sabina Mason in Nio Taekwondo Newbridge.
Shane’s season may not be over yet either as he is potentially poised to go to the Taekwondo World Championships in Finland the first week of September.
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