ONE talented Limerick woman gave a big hand to Team Ireland’s medal count in the World Wallball Championships ongoing at the University of Limerick throughout this week.
Martina McMahon, a native of Broadford, County Limerick, romped her way home to the gold winning the ‘small ball’ open singles division against Myohwa Hwee of the USA in straight games.
McMahon is no stranger to success on the court, having previously won the title of World Singles Champion in 2018.
Upwards 1,000 competitors are involved in the Championships this week from all corners of the globe.
The Championships kicked off this past Sunday and will continue through to Friday at the University of Limerick’s Castletroy campus.
Wallball is the name given to several sports that involve players hitting a ball off of a wall with their hands or feet.
At the opening ceremony, a proud GAA President Jarlarth Burns spoke passionately about how handball, a game he personally has enjoyed playing recreationally as a student and later a teacher, is “flourishing” at present.
The Championships so far have seen competitors from all over the world clash, with leading players from Ireland, the USA, Canada, France, the Basque Country, and Japan among other nations going head to head.
“We feel the possibilities for the growth of wallball, both nationally and internationally, are vast so this is not just an ordinary tournament, it’s of significant strategic importance for us,” says David Britton, head of GAA handball.
The bumper entry indicates that this event has really captured the imagination of the handball community around the world – but who will earn the right to call themselves the best players on the planet in the blue riband Open grades alongside McMahon of Broadford?
In the Singles, Ireland was represented by Conor McElduff (Tyrone) and Catriona Casey (Cork) while in the Doubles, the Team Ireland reps are Aoife McCarthy (Westmeath), and Cormac Finn (Sligo)/Mikey Kelly (Waterford).
Speaking in advance of the games, Limerick Minister of State Niall Collins said that the event will bring a much-needed economic boost to Limerick, and with the Olympics now over, the interest in sport in Ireland is high.
“I’m delighted that the World Wallball Championships are being hosted in Limerick,” Minister Collins said.
The Limerick Minister added that “now that the Olympics are finished, we can turn our attention to Limerick and to the Irish who are competing in these games. I look forward to it getting underway”.
