Galway Kettlebell Club in the medals at Leinster Championship

Galway Kettlebell Club took home seven medals at the All Ireland Kettlebell Lifting Federation (AIKLF) Leinster Kettlebell Championships held in Ballinteer Community School in Dublin last Saturday.

The competition saw 114 competitors in total battling it out on the day from 17 clubs from around the country, with eight members from the Galway club taking part.

Maria Dillon was the Galway star, taking gold in the 16kg long cycle discipline and silver in the 20kg jerk. Club coach and director, Sarah Smith, took silver in the 24kg long cycle, while Suzi Doherty also took silver, taking a medal in the 12kg jerk.

Celine King took bronze in the 16kg jerk; Steve Killeen took bronze in the 16kg long cycle; and Ed Holohan took bronze in the 16kg snatch.

“I am so proud of all the lifters in my club for the dedication and devotion to training leading up to the competition ad for reaching their goals,” said Smith.

Kettlebell Sport (Girevoy Sport) is Russian and involves strength, endurance, flexibility and stamina as well as mind power. Kettlebell weights start at 8kg for women and up to 24kg; while for men they start at 12kg and go up to 32kg with males lifting 2 Kettlebells.

The sport is growing in Ireland with over 250 AILKF Club members. Galway kettlebell Club is the only club in the West of Ireland to teach both styles of Kettlebells (Traditional and Kettlebell Sport).

For more information on Kettlebell Sport find Sarah Smith on Facebook or log on to www.galwaykettlebells.com.