GLENS LADIES WIN WORLD SILVER IN ITALY

The Glens of Antrim Club travelled to Faenza in Italy, to compete at the Tug of War International Federation Indoor World Championships held between the 21st and 24th Feb. 
The Championships were held in a 5000 seater Stadium in  Northern Italy , which provided a venue where the atmosphere was electric and the competition from all over the world the best yet seen at a World Indoor Championship.  The First two days hosted the Open Club Championships with 560KGS, 600 KGS, 640KGS, 680KGS mens weights, 480KGD and 520KGS ladies weights. 

The Glens Club travelled to Italy to compete primarily at the 560kgs mens and the 480kgs ladies competitions.  The men were up first in the 560kgs class, ones of the most difficult weights.  The up to 6 nights a week training, strict diets and a lot of saunas paid off when at 6am the men made the weight. 
Seventeen teams from all over the world and as far away as China and Japan, competed in this weight. 

The Glens men pulled hard throughout the round robin stage of the competition beating Kilroe from England reigning World Champions at this weight, eliminating them from the competition.  Only to drop the next two ends to Abadino from the Basque Country, who went on to be beaten by Richill from Armagh in the Final.  The gold medal was the first gold won by a Northern Ireland since the early 1970’s. 

The Glens went on to finish in the top 8 in the 600kgs weight and the top 10 in the 640kgs weight.

The Glens Ladies were up next in the ladies class beating Gauteng North from South Africa after a 5 end battle to progress to the final.  The Glens Ladies very inexperienced at this level came up against a very experienced Badaiotz team from the Basque Country.  The Glens fought hard taking them over half way before a battling Badaiotz side fought back and a tiring Glens side gave way.  The Second end of the final took a similar turn and the chance of being World Champions slipped away this time. 

Glens coach Brian O’Kane speaking after the event stressed both how pleased and proud he was with the silver medal, and the result was fitting given the hard work and dedication from the team.  He said that this has been achieved in a sport that receives very little support and no financial aid from local sporting bodies.  He also said that he hoped that this would now be addressed and with some help maybe a gold could be achieved. 

In the last two days of competition the Northern Ireland mens teams had their most successful championships ever with Liam Hughes, a Glens puller helping them secure a bronze medal in the 600KGS. The 560kgs team won the gold.  

Glens Squad
Mens
Brian O’Kane, John McAuley, Liam Hughes, Christy O’Kane, Fergus Miskelly, David McNeilly, Darrell O’Kane, Francis McKeown, Brian Telford, David Telford, Mark Telford, Gareth ,oles and William Montgomery
Ladies
Sharon McQuillan, Clodagh Higgins, Karen McAuley, Rose Reid, Anne-Marie O’Kane, Lorna Fitzpatrick, Ann Murray and Judith Van Der Heim
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