The 2011 Blackrock Championships was held on February 27th. Once again it was a great success, bringing compeitiors from as far away as Dublin & Galway. Once again it couldn't have happend without the help and support of all clubs, officials and competitiors taking part. Clubs/Associations taking part included, Taekwondo Ireland (nearly all TKDI clubs were represented), IUTF, Red Star, Redking, Scion, NITA, East Coast, UTI, Family Martial Arts, Warrior TKD, Carrigtwohill TKD & ITA. Many thanks again and we hope everyone enjoyed the competition.Taekwon-Do Ireland write up for the event:TaeKwon-Do Ireland showed up in force to the 4th Annual Blackrock Championships in Cork this February, a tournament that continues to grow and grow every year. TaeKwon-Do Ireland clubs from Bandon, Innishannon, Macroom, Crosshaven, Carrigaline, Ballincollig, Ballintemple, NUI Galway, Shandon Street, Bishopstown, Frankfield, Midleton and of course from Blackrock itself, all arrived ready for action and hoping to take the gold. And with many competitors from clubs all over the country, TaeKwon-Do Ireland was in for a fight!            The TKDI association of clubs stood up to the challenge in the end, taking gold in an amazing 37 of the 76 categories that ran throughout the day, including an incredible 16 gold place victories in the 20 adult sections. The Blackrock TaeKwon-Do club itself took the most out of any one club, fighting in their home ground the students won twelve gold place medals, next was Midleton taking eight section victories and Innishannon close behind taking five medals and the Grand Champion Prize.            The TKDI Innishannon club made their mark most felt in the adult blackbelt section where the two instructors, Mr. Steven Nyhan and his sister Ms. Jessica Nyhan, both won gold in the traditional forms category. Jessica then went on to win the light weight female sparring as well as the female grand champion section!            The TKDI Blackrock club then stepped up to win both the heavy weight and light weight adult male sparring sections, with Mr. David O’ Mahony, the lightest fighter by far in the section, out classing all his opponents with blinding speed and ability. The heavy weight section was then won by Daniel O’ Sullivan, a red belt who hopes to test for his blackbelt later in the year. This is the second blackbelt category the red belt has entered and won in the last two months, and he is still fresh from a world medal win as a blue belt, when he won gold in the TAGB World Opens in August of last year. Both his instructors and tournament directors of the day, Mr. Paul Manning and Mr. James Dwyer were very proud to see their students win out in the home tournament.            It was almost an all TaeKwon-Do Ireland sweep for the senior blackbelt sections as Crosshaven’s Mr. Gareth Flemming won the veteran category, and Crosshaven’s Ms. Abigail Lane was narrowly beaten in the female heavy weight sparring by an outstanding fighter from the UCC IUTF, Ms. Connie Vaughan.            The long and successful day at the Blackrock Championships ended even better again for TaeKwon-Do Ireland as the Male Grand Champion division took place. Innishannon’s Jessica Nyhan had already won the ladies category and the competition ended with the men’s section. The Grand Champion is a quick fire competition of all grades and all weights, all competing for the coveted title of Blackrock Grand Champion. The title had been won the last three years running by one of the Blackrock Instructors Mr. James Dwyer, who is also the current ITF Middle Weight Sparring World Champion, having won gold for TaeKwon-Do Ireland and for his country last June in Korea. But this year the reigning champ was knocked off his throne, by none other than his very own student, Daniel O’ Sullivan