Barrhead karate star Niamh Junner stormed to an impressive gold medal at the British Karate Foundation International Open Championships in Leicester at the weekend.
Niamh, who fights out of the Shitokai Karate Club in Paisley, was competing in the +59kg category at the Leicester Arena where she comfortably won three qualifying rounds without dropping a single point to set up a final showdown with England’s national team competitor and her Great Britain teammate and rival Lauren Salisbury.
Salisbury, who will be travelling to Argentina next month to represent Great Britain in the Youth Olympics after pipping Niamh for selection due to a ranking point technicality, never threatened the Barrhead youngster as Niamh continued her dominant form, easing to an impressive 4-0 win to clinch the gold without dropping a point.
The 16-year-old, currently ranked 21 in the world by the World Karate Foundation (WKF), adds the stunning gold to her already impressive and ever expanding medal haul after enjoying international success with a silver medal earlier this year at the WKF Youth League in Umag, Croatia.
Next up for the four time Scottish Champion is the Scottish Karate Governing Body Championships in November before a trip to Venice in December where she will compete in the last World Youth League tournament of the year.
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