Welcome to the home page of the Ophir Karate Association, Northern
Ireland
OPHIR TRIUMPH IN EUROPE 2011
In the European Wado kai Championships held 22/23 October in Lisbon, Portugal, Ophir members made a major contribution to the Ireland National Team. Ophir won 3 gold, 3 silver and 3 bronze, with Ophir Killyleagh's Niamh Cunningham crowned European Wado Kai Kata Champion.
During the competition, Siobhan Leckey and Darren Brown impressed the referee committee with their very high standard of refeering and found themselves singled out for praise from a number of different country's officials.
Total Medals won by Team Ireland 9 gold --- 10 silver --- 10 bronze
SIOBHAN LECKEY BECOMES THE HIGHEST GRADED FEMALE WADO PRACTICIONER IN EUROPE.
On Sunday 23 October, in Lisbon University, Portugal, Siobhan was awarded her 4th Dan by a panel of international karate instructors, including two from Japan. At the same grading, Killyleagh's Darren Brown was awarded his 2nd Dan. These are official Japanese recognised grades, recorded by the Department of Education in Tokyo.
OPHIR WIN THE 2011 ALL IRELAND JUNIOR LEAGUE KARATE TITLE -- ANTRIM FORUM SATURDAY 18 JUNE
Kata
boys age 8-12yrs - 3rd kyu Jack Golden 4th place bronze medal
girls age 8-12yrs - 3rd kyu Niamh Cunningham 2nd place silver medal
boys age 13-17 +3rd kyu Gareth Barnes 2nd place silver medal
girls age 13-17 -3rd kyu Emma Morrison 2nd place silver medal
Kumite
boys age 9 Bradford McClurg 1st place gold medal
girls age 9 Anna Cunningham 4th place bronze medal
girls age 10 Niamh Cunningham 1st place gold medal
boys age 11 Robert Hawks 4th place bronze medal
boys age 14 Pearse Morrow 1st place gold medal
boys age 15 Rhys Hagan 1st place gold medal
boys age 16-17 Michael Morrow 3rd place bronze medal
| | |  Junior coach Tom Cunningham, referees Siobhan Leckey
and Darren Brown with All Ireland League Champions 2010 - 2011
Ophir Karate | | |
MORE HONOURS FOR OPHIR
In the recent ONAKAI All Ireland All-Styles Junior Kata Championships, held in Ballinasloe,
County Galway , Ophir students again saw success on the mats:
Pearse Morrow gold
Michael Morrow silver
Clar McAuley gold
Jason Creane silver
Niamh Cunningham bronze
CONGRATULATIONS TO RHYS HAGAN,
OPHIR KILLYLEAGH.
WINNER OF THE ALL IRELAND
ONAKAI JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP 2010 / 2011
 In 2009 Ophir students formed the Ireland Junior squad
competing in the European Championships in Dublin.
Previously, Ophir's Tony Thompson had won silver in
the Europeans in Rome in 2000; this time the haul of
medals was to be greater - to include gold, silver and
bronze.
Left: European squad - Megan Wilson, Gareth Barnes,
Amy Leckey, Pearse Morrow, Sarah Walsh-Haller,
Clar Mc Auley, Rhys Hagan, Michael Morrow and
Ophir coach Martin Campbell
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 The association was founded by Siobhan Leckey and Martin Campbell. They both began training in 1977 and, in 1994, having secured premises belonging to the scout troop at Ophir Gardens (hence the name) off the Cavehill Road in North Belfast, they formed the current group. Siobhan, with her vast international experience on the mats, was appointed chief instructor with Martin looking after the day-to-day administration.
After five years, they decided to join up with the renowned Sensi, Derek Desmond, the national fighting coach for Ireland, based in Dublin with the Wado kai Karate Association of Ireland. Resident in the ALSAA Sports Stadium at Toberbunny, Dublin Airport for over forty years, the WKAI have recently received their charter from Japan conferring on them the status of 'country headquarters' - THE official body for Wado kai in Ireland. That move paved the way for membership of the all Ireland governing body, the Official National Amateur Karate Association of Ireland - ONAKAI - and with it, the opportunity for Ophir members to participate in high level competition, including as members of the national squad and coaching courses, many with senior Japanese instructors such as K. Sakagami Sensi and Harakawa Sensi.
A number of senior members of Ophir have also attended WUKO referees courses, hosted by Tommy Morris, where they gained official status.
Since then, they have officiated at many tournaments including local, national and international, most notably the European Wado Kai Championships in Rome and Dublin.
Bringing a high standard of refereeing to national competition has gone someway in ensuring the success over recent years of the ONAKAI All Ireland Junior League.
With teams from every part of the island competing, it is a "sure fire" way of encouraging youngsters to engage in competition, in a safe and controlled environment, from an early age.
Recently Ophir junior members were delighted, after six years of trying, to eventually win the All Ireland title - a just reward for the many hours training put in by the youngsters, ranging in age from seven to eighteen. | | | |
We recommend Training DVDs and Blu-ray discs which are produced by Dupes DVD & Video, BELFAST, a company owned by one of our Dan Grade instructors. CLICK HERE FOR SAMPLES & ORDERS
 (L) Sisters Anna & Niamh Cunningham -
who train in Ophir Killyleagh Karate Club with Darren Brown
- children's All Ireland Champions 2011.
WKAI Junior Championships held in
the ALSAA Stadium Dublin April 30 2011
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Ophir senior instructors pictured at training courses in
Dublin with a number of the most senior Japanese Wado
masters.
| | | Below: Siobhan and Ophir students at summer training camp in Galway
| Girls fighting in 2010 Ophir championships |  | | | 
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 Through our membership of the national governing body, we are proud to be associated with the World Karate Federation.
 Member of the International Alliance of Martial Arts Schools. We offer a warm welcome to any visiting martial artist.
 Members of ONAKAI. The Official National Amateur Karate Association of Ireland. The All Ireland Governing Body for karate.
 Members of the European Karate Federation
YOU CAN CONTACT US @ :: admin@ophir-karate.co.uk
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