Erne Wrestling is set to represent Fermanagh and Northern Ireland at the English Wrestling Junior Competition in Bury, Manchester this weekend.

This is the first National Junior Competition since the start of the Covid pandemic and there are over 180 wrestlers entered for the junior competition.

The competition entry was highly sought after with it being oversubscribed days before the early bird entry date meaning several members of the Erne Wrestling Competition Squad were unable to register.

One Fermanagh wrestling athlete who gained a place at the English Juniors was Mount Lourdes Year 14 student Charlotte McGuigan from Enniskillen.

Back from her bronze at the Helsinki Open International Competition, Charlotte is competing in the U17 females 49kg category.

She is looking forward to return to national competition and is hoping to do the county proud by bringing home another medal.

The 17 year old will also be making her debut as a referee at this prestigious competition. This will be the first chance for Charlotte to put into practice the skills and experience she has gained since qualifying last year.

Currently, Charlotte is one of only two active Northern Ireland female wrestling referees both being from Fermanagh. She hopes to be a positive role model to other young girls in Fermanagh sport showing them the pathways and opportunities in wrestling.

Charlotte said: “It’s great to get back to national competition after such a long time. To be able to wrestle and referee at the event is such an opportunity.”