Jodie brings home silver medal

Maghaberry taekwondo girl Jodie McKew brought a silver medal home from the Dutch Open 2017 last week. The 12 year-old competed for Northern Ireland in Eindhoven and fought her way through four matches, successfully winning against many countries to reach the final. After an excellent final performance, she narrowly missed out on gold but earned a well-deserved silver medal. "To come to the Dutch Open for the first time, with 1,200 fighters from all corners of the world competing, and get into the final is a tremendous achievement," said Northern Ireland Team Coach, Bertie Nicholson.

The Dollingstown girl, a Year 8 student at Banbridge High School, won four matches at the in the World Ranking Dutch Open competing against countries from all over the world, including the final against Denmark. She narrowly missed out on a gold medal, but arrived home the proud winner of a silver medal.

Jodie and her sister Jessie started the sport in August 2012, following in their father Jason’s footsteps and within a few months they were made yellow belts, skipping an interim grade because of their outstanding progress.

They’ve accumulated so many trophies and accolades at poomsae and kyorugi that they’ve run out of room to display them in their Holly Hill home.

The house is positively glistening given the number of gold medals on display. Kyorugi is the contact form of the martial art of Taekwondo, while poomsae involves demonstrating the routines without an opponent. Despite the two-year age gap they have progressed through the belts together and Jodie has her sights on making the Olympics.