RITA Steps Up at Slovenian Open
The RITA’s junior black belt squad took another step forward in its continuous development by performing to its current level at the Slovenian Open. The small group of four junior black belts coached by Master Robert Howard (8th degree) travelled to the scenic town of Zrece in eastern Slovenia to compete against athletes from 12 countries, including; Czech Republic, Greece, Bulgaria, Croatia, and hosts Slovenia. The tournament is a recognised EITF A class event and it was a good test of the Irish squad to see where they currently stand against their European peers. The Irish competitors performed well and took home 2 gold, 1 silver and 4 bronze in both patterns and sparring. It was a time to meet old friends and make new ones and the Irish competitors would like to thank Master Emin Durakovic and the members of the Slovenian ITF for their warm hospitality. The squad are currently preparing for the 2020 European Championships in Prague, Czech Republic. The RITA would like to thank Hanley Energy for its continued support.
Front row: L-R: Master Emin Durokovic (ITF Slovenia), Master Robert Howard, Mr Stefan Cresnar (ITF Slovenia),
