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A climb to the top —————————————-- By CpI. TIM USREY Inside the Turret sports editor —————————————— Knox karate black belt takes third in Hawaii
seem like the impossible dream. But Elizabeth Irish, 14, doesn’t dream. The Fort Knox karate black belt returned from her first appearance at the All-Hawaii International Karate-Do Championships held in Honolulu last week after winning third in kumite (fighting), and surprising more experienced fighters in her age group with her performance. Fighters who are hoping for a spot on the Olympic team may someday have reason to worry. That taste of victory has increased her appetite for winning. "I’ve proven to myself that I can hang with the big dogs," she said. "I’ll be able to beat them next time, no problem." Irish was among 300 fighters from Asia and the U.S. who competed in the championships. Instructor John Harris, 38, said that members of the International Karate Association in Hawaii, a team currently training fighters for Olympic competition, were concerned enough to seek him out to ask which tournament Irish plans to attend. "She went to her first international championship and came in third," said Harris, who’s been practicing karate for 20 years. "Elizabeth knows now that she can compete in the Pan Am games or the Olympics. They recognize that she could pose a threat." The only thing stopping her, agree both, is practice. Harris estimated that Irish was only putting forth 10 percent of the ef1 of IKF fighters to train for the competition. "After the fact, it made her mad to know that it would’ve only taken a little more training to beat them." said Harris. "I’ve asked her, ‘Do you realize what you’ve done?" What Irish has done since learning karate four years ago is
win Kentucky’s Region 6 Championship every year since then, earn a bronze medal
at the Amateur Athletic Unions 1994 and 1995 national championships, win a
silver meda According to Harris, the Junior Olympics only Invites top notch students who have qualifled at the regional, state, and national levels. The Pan Am games are the last step before qualifying for the Olympics. "The Olympics ia a realistic goal," said Harris. "I alway say that they have to want it. They can get all the intruction in the world, but if you don t have the heart and the desire you won’t beat anybody." Although Irish is currently training only three days a week for one and a half hours, she said she can easily increase her training regimen to accomplish her goals. "I’m good because I want to be," she said " I want to show the IKF that I can them. If I just train like they train, I will. I want to beat them bad." |
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For many
amateur athletes, competing in the Olympics may
l in fighting and a
bronze in weapons a the 1994 Junior Olympica and win gold medals in kata and
weapons plus a silver in fighting at the 1995 Ju nior Olympics