The wrestlers of Erne Wrestling Club have been busy over the past few weeks internationally, starting with Norway and the Kulbotn Cup, where Darragh Love represented and came away with the silver medal after a day of tough wrestling matches.

Darragh only lost the final bout by one point to a wrestler from Azerbaijan.

Next for the club, there were five members representing team Northern Ireland in Helsinki, Finland.

This was an international event with more than 670 wrestlers from more than 20 countries held over two days.

Darragh Love, Ivan Enchev and Ewan McDowell from Enniskillen, Matthew Crozier (Kesh) and Cameron Clements (Omagh) all did an amazing job, displaying that they belong in this level of competition.

All finished within a match of medalling in this competition.

Ivan Enchev is the one that did medal for team Northern Ireland in securing the bronze medal, only losing one match to the eventual champion, who is a Spanish national champion, by one point in the final seconds of the match.

Darragh was able to avenge his loss in Norway by defeating the same man he wrestled in Norway by 10 points, but came up just short of the medal bouts.

This was a great achievement for Darragh as he stepped up to the Senior ranks for this competition, as did Matthew Crozier, and he wrestled a couple of very strong athletes from Sweden and Finland but came up just short and finished in sixth place.

Experience

These two wrestlers gained invaluable experience which will be needed as they may be required to enter at Senior level in many competitions in the future.

They both still qualify for under 20 years and will have opportunities there very good things are expected, moving forward.

This was Cameron Clement’s first international wrestling competition and he came away with an outstanding fifth place, and knows now the details of the wrestling sport more clearly.

Cameron has been a very successful MMA fighter and has taken on a more involved effort in wrestling as he knows that the best fighters have a solid wrestling background.

Cameron says he is really enjoying the wrestling journey like nothing before in the combat sport arena.

The youngest member representing NI, Ewan McDowell, had an excellent tournament as this was his largest international competition, to date.

He is a young man who has dedicated many years to the club and continues to improve, thus his selection for a national squad event.

He came up short this time, but no doubt he will be in the mix for years to come.

The next scheduled event for the club is the Scottish Open to be held on January 28, so members will enjoy a small Christmas break and then get back to training from January 9.

Training

The Southwest Academy of Sport, where the club trains at the Irvinestown Creamery Business Park, will be open on Thursday and Friday, December 22 and 23, for people to enjoy some time and activity.

It’s priced £15 for non-members for an hour and a half of play time and movement in the large matted area. Fun and games for ages 5 through to 17.

This could be an ideal time for parents to get some ‘chores’ done just before Christmas.

Times are 10-11.30am, 12-1.30pm and 3-4.30pm. You can make contact via email – bruceire@yahoo.co.uk – or call 0783 480 6028.