Antrim schoolgirl Katelynn McCracken has returned from the British Karate Federation championships in Leicester with a bronze medal.
The teenager was Northern Ireland’s only medallist in the first major tournament to be held in the United Kingdom since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
Katelynn, who has already built up an enviable reputation on the Irish circuit, took part in the female cadet heavyweight section.
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The 15-year-old, who is a pupil at St Benedict's College in Randalstown, narrowly missed out on a place in the finals after storming through the preliminary rounds.
But she bounced back in dynamic style to clinch a bronze medal with an impressive performance in the semi-finals.
Katelynn trains with Irish karate legend Oliver Brunton - the first European to be recognised as a seventh dan by the Japanese Karate Federation - and his son James.
James is a former international fighter and also won his first British medal as a teenager before going onto take numerous UK titles during his adult career.
Katelynn now hopes to follow a similar pathway and is already preparing for the European Karate Federation cadet and junior championships which will be held in Prague in June.
On the teenager’s medal clinching display in Leicester, James said: “Katelynn trained hard all through the pandemic and is now reaping the rewards of her hard work.
“She has laid the foundations to embark on a very successful international karate career.”
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