Sport

Tiger-Do fighters win national titles

FOUNDED by martial arts legend, Terry Young, Tiger-Do fighters from the Bankstown and Liverpool districts again proved their worth at the 2019 National Judo Titles in Queensland over the long weekend.

The club’s 17 NSW Judo competing members dominated the competition, coming away with four golds, three silvers and three bronzes plus three players in bronze medal play offs.
On the first day of junior competition, Tiger-Do boasted 15 per cent of all national champions – the prestigious club is also Judo NSW’s 2018 Junior Development Club of the Year.
Fourteen-year-old Panania twins, Marissa and Deana Finka, each stormed their way to become National Champions in the Senior Girls U/52kg and U/57kg category, winning all their throws by Ippon, judo’s highest point win.
Meanwhile Mak Vudjalic won back-to-back National Titles, this time in the Senior Boys O/66kg weight class, while Yagoona’s Hamzah Rashid won his first ever National Title in the Junior Boys U/50kg class.
Belmore’s Liam McClifty, silver medallist in the U/55kg Cadet Mens, was one of 16 athletes selected to represent Australian in the Asia-Pacific Championships in Taiwan in July; this was a very proud moment for Liam’s father, Nigel McClifty, who is a Tiger-Do coach and State Coach.
Other medallists include Liam’s younger brother, Nicholas, bronze medallist in the Senior Boys U/45 class, and silver medallist Ivona Rivstevski (Senior Girls U/48kg) and Lachlan Cook (Junior Boys, U/27kg).
Also showing Tiger-Do spirit, grit and determination, Powerhouse Jad Reda gained two national medals, receiving a silver medal in the Junior Men U/60kg and a bronze in the Cadet Men 60kg.
Contact the club on 0429 568 046 for further info or membership enquiries.