Brosnan wins gold at World Kickboxing event

Ireland's Brian Brosnan became the first Irish fighter to win a gold medal in full contact kickboxing at the WAKO World Kickboxing Championships in Dublin on Saturday night. The Galway Kickboxing Club member beat Stelyan Avramidi of Kazakhstan to claim the gold medal at -71kg by unanimous decision at the Citywest Hotel and Conference Centre. Brosnan said: "I can't even describe what it feels like to be world champion, I don't think it has fully sunk in yet." His father and coach Denis added: "He's been training since he could walk. I'm very proud of him."

In total Ireland won six medals from at the finals. Three of those were silver medals in semi-contact kickboxing. Ireland's former world champion Robbie McMenamy lost out to Zsolt Moradi of Hungary in the final seconds of the -79kg final while Des Leonard lost his final in extra time. The teenager, who had made the team for the first time, looked set to cause a massive upset as he brought the match to extra time against a far more experienced fighter Italian opponent but was ultimately denied the gold.

Ireland's youngest competitior just Ashley St Mart (16) could not hide his disappointment after losing a tough final against Laszlo Varga of Hungary. Niall McDermott and Shauna Bannon claimed bronze medals in the -67kg full contact and -60kg semi contact respectively.

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