Irish kickboxer Deirdre Begley has targeted a podium finish at this weekend’s world championships in Dublin. It is the first time the competition is in Ireland and Begley, who came third in the World Cup in June, would love to secure a medal in front of a home crowd.
“I want a good performance,” she said. “I’ve put in a lot of work and I know I’ve improved a lot since I last competed. A podium finish is the aim.”
Begley had an accidental introduction to the sport. “I started kickboxing when I was eight by pure chance. I used to do cross-country running and we started training indoors. One evening my mom was late collecting me and I just saw them kickboxing and said why not, I’d give it a go.”
The Bantry native has a punishing training schedule: “At the moment I’m training every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sundays we have squad training in Dublin every week now.” Begley, who received a UCC sports scholarship in October, said it’s difficult to fit training around college but she’s making it work.
“It’s quite difficult. I had to buy a car over the summer because it was so tough travelling,” said the third year Arts student.
Begley currently trains in Skibbereen on Tuesdays and then travels to Bantry for training on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. She also boxes with UCC on Mondays and Wednesdays which helps with her kickboxing.
Begley is not allowing herself to look to far past the World Championships but she did admit she would like to compete in the World Combat Games which has seen a number of promising fighters make their breakthrough.
“Long term, I’d love to compete at the World Combat Games but we’ll have to wait and see.”
Courtesy of: Irish Examiner