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Irish, Harris win karate medals at Junior Olympics ———————————— By DAVID RUEHLING Sports Writer ————————————
And while Irish said she still can’t whip her sibling, she is headed to Hawaii, thanks in part to her brother’s influence. Irish won two gold medals in karate at the National Junior Olympic Games last weekend in Des Moines, Iowa. Irish, competing for the International Karate Federation, placed first in the girls’ 14-year-old advanced weapons and kata, and was second in fighting, losing in the last round in overtime by half a point. Besides her two gold medals, Irish qualified for the 1995 International Karate/Do Championships in late November in Honolulu. Teammate John Harris Jr. won a bronze medal in the boys’ 14-year-old division at the Junior Olympics, and was third in fighting. "This was not just a normal tournament," said IKF instructor John Harris and father of John Harris Jr. "These were the Junior Olympic Games." Irish, a first-year black belt, has been practicing karate for about 3 ½ years, and she owes it all to her brother, Bryan. "I wanted to beat up my older brother," she said with a laugh, adding he was always picking on her. "I decided this in Germany, and then we moved here. I kept bugging my parents to put me in karate. I started at Fort Knox at the youth center. "I was trying every sport at that time," added Irish. "I found this and I liked it the most." Irish who will be a freshman at Fort Knox High School, said when she first started she didn’t think she would be any good. "Neither did her parents," said Harris in a stage whisper. "My parents (Marie and Bud Irish) didn’t think I would stick with it at all," Irish said. "But, I did. One day they watched me do my thing, and I won some medals. They were convinced." This was Irish’s second Junior Olympic Games. Last year she won a silver, a bronze and a fourth-place. Now, she wants to go to Hawaii and beat a girl who beat her at nationals, and then Irish has bigger plans. She wants to make the United States Olympic karate team one day. "She’ll go to Colorado Springs (the training center) one day, I’m sure, Harris said. Irish might be accompanied by the younger Harris. "He really applied himself this year," the elder Harris said. "He had never won a medal in a national event until this past weekend." Harris said his son, who will be a freshman at North Hardin, competed in the Junior Olympic Games last year and did well. Irish, who is one of Harris’ original students, plans on sticking with karate. "We’re supposed to move next year," Irish said. "When I move, I want to start my own school. This is going to be my job." And, she still has her goal of wanting to beat up her brother to keep her busy. "I still can’t," Irish said with a smile. "He’s huge." |
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Elizabeth
Irish first got into karate so she could beat up her older brother.