Lucy stars for TASK with a terrific title treble
It was a weekend to savour for the city’s TASK martial arts club - and in particular for star kickboxer Lucy Stirland.
Undefeated world champion Stirland stepped into the ring in Nottingham to fight Megan White for the Midlands light-heavyweight crown and was a comfortable winner.
The following day she travelled to Barnsley for the World Kickboxing Organisation (WKO) British Open Championships and added two more titles to her impressive tally.
“It was a quite remarkable weekend for Lucy, a truly amazing achievement,” said her coach Rob Taylor, himself a seven-times world kickboxing champion. “We are all very proud of her.”
TASK (Taylor’s Academy Sport Karate) had 14 fighters competing in Barnsley and returned with 15 medals - six of them gold.
Anastasija Jurgutyte from Dogsthorpe struck gold in her first competition since joining TASK. And she pulled it off by beating a girl in the final who had eliminated her more experienced team-mate, Skaiste Stukaite, in a close semi-final.
Stukaite, not to be outdone, went on to win gold in the point fighting section. Other golds were won by Richard Atkinson and Joris Balocka.
TASK results from Barnsley:
Richard Atkinson: 1st Mens heavyweight light continuous kickboxing.
Lucy Stirland: 1st Ladies light continuous kickboxing; 1st Ladies boxing.
Anastasija Jurgutyte: 1st Girls light continuous kickboxing.
Skaiste Stukaite: 1st Girls point fighting; 3rd Girls light continuous kickboxing.
Joris Balocka:1st Boys point fighting.
Raihan Ebrahim: 2nd Boys advanced point fighting; 3rd Boys advanced light continuous kickboxing.
Davina Hopping: 2nd Ladies boxing.
Emilia Skupińska: 2nd Ladies lightweight point fighting.
Anujin Lkhagvajargal: 2nd girls point fighting 9-11 years; 3rd Girls light continuous kickboxing 9-11 years.
James Hickey: 3rd Mens heavyweight light continuous kickboxing.
Katie Simnett: 3rd Girls advanced light continuous kickboxing.