Charleston Academy pupils Aidan and Ciaran Lennan bring five medals home to Inverness from WAKO British National Championships
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Aidan and Ciaran Lennan kicked off 2024 right where they left off last year – standing on a podium.
The brothers travelled down to Nottingham for the WAKO British Championships last weekend, which doubled up as a qualifying tournament for the Great Britain team for the World Championships – which will take place in Hungary in August.
With so much on the line, an increased field flocked to the central midlands to take their shot at glory.
Among them was older brother Aidan (16), with the Charleston Academy pupil competing in the under-63kg junior male under-19s category across kick light, light contact and points.
He would make it to the final in every one of those competitions, winning a gold medal in kick light and light contact but in the end having to settle for silver in the points category.
With two more British titles to his name, though, Aidan has secured his place in the British squad that will be heading to Hungary later this year.
Ciaran (13) stepped up to a bigger weight category, competing in the under-47kg under-15s older cadet males.
Entering the light contact and points fighting categories, the younger Lennan took to the mat against bigger boys but still did himself proud, earning a silver medal in light contact and a bronze in points.
While not enough to secure automatic qualification for the World Championships, Ciaran has put himself in a position to try out for selection.
Next up on the brothers' schedule is a trip overseas as Aidan competes in the WAKO Yokoso Dutch European Cup this weekend in Amsterdam, with Ciaran next in action at the Scottish Open in April.
Before that competition in Edinburgh, though, both teenagers will continue to put in the hard work with their training at HMAC Inverness, HESA Inverness, Wolfpack Martial Arts Livingston and WAKO GB squad training sessions in Scotland and England.
Also on the horizon is the Greece Legends Camp in the summer as well at the Kickboxing GB summer camp at Lillieshall National Sports Centre in Telford.
