A LIMERICK teenager who has already achieved world recognition for his achievements in his chosen martial arts discipline is now training in Bangkok to defend his title.
15-year-old Muay Thai champion from Castleconnell, Thomas McMahon Jnr is the only one of six team Ireland members to be directly invited to the world championship event.
Thomas is the first person in the world to win and hold two WBC Muay Thai Celtic U-16 belts back-to-back in such a short period.
Within a space of just nine weeks, Thomas took gold for the Irish team in Venice and won two WBC Celtic titles, having beaten formidable and more experienced opposition.
Now his dad, Thomas Snr, is confident the young prodigy will bring home gold for Ireland against globally ranked fighters.
“He’s been out there for two weeks and I’m confident he will bring home gold for Limerick and for Ireland. He’s training hard, twice a day, and he’s very focused. We’re very proud of him,” Mr McMahon told the Limerick Post.
Now in transition year in school, the break has allowed the determined teenager a chance to concentrate on training and competition.
After his recent title victories, he shared the secret of his fighting success with the Limerick Post, which, he says, is simply “discipline”.
“I wake at six every morning and go for a run. I do that again at one o’clock and then go training in the evening. The stamina I’ve built up and the fitness level stood to me in those fights,” the Muay Thai star says.
The young fighter has been competing in the Muay Thai arena for less than two years under the tutorship of Limerick’s EastSide Muay Thai coach Calvin Ross.
And with the discipline having just been declared an Olympic sport, Thomas Snr says that Limerick can look forward to having an Olympian in four years time, if not sooner.
