Making a mark from a young age

The May monthly winners in The Connaught Telegraph Mayo Young Sports Stars Awards have been making their mark from a young age.

For example, Westport's Caitlín Malone has been training at White Tiger Martial Arts since she was just eight years of age. Her passion for kata really began at local level tournaments around Connaught and she has earned a host of national and international medals, but she really came into her own in 2012 when she took three gold medals at the All-Star Specially Challenged event (in Karate Kata, Weapon Kata and Board Breaking).

In 2019 Caitlín earned her place on the senior panel of the newly formed Inclusive Karate Ireland national team to take part in the I-Karate Global World Cup in Dublin, where she took silver in Weapon Kata and Kumite along with a bronze in Karate Kata.

Since then she has worked to maintain her place on the team and will contest the same event in Moscow, Russia, at the end of April.

As part of the fundraising efforts, Caitlín has worked hard along with her supporters in Team Malone - mum Kathleen and brothers Damien and Sam - but she herself took on the challenge of leading her own fundraising seminar on karate at the end of 2019.

As the first person with Down Syndrome to ever lead a karate seminar, Caitlín is continuing to break down the barriers and continues to be an inspiration for people all over the world.

No more than Caitlín in her chosen sport, it is surely the dream of any young boy or girl to play for their country in golf - and there consequently must have been a feeling of great pride and joy among the Burke family when young John William was selected to play for his country at just 10 years of age.

However, for those familiar with this young man around Ballyhaunis Golf Club, it is probably no surprise as he has been winning competitions from a very young age.

John William did himself, his family, his club and his country proud at in the US Kids European Golf Championships. The three-day 18-hole tournament was held at the Craigielaw club in Scotland last May.

Helped by his caddy - who happened to be his dad, also named John - this young man put in a storming final round to move up 10 places in a massively strong field to finish in the top 24 - not bad when you are competing against 650 children from 51 countries who competed at the championships. His is surely a name for the future in a sport that takes huge dedication but can also bring huge rewards.