SHARPLES Wrestling Club’s senior team made an impressive statement at English Senior Open Championships.

The British Wrestling Association’s annual championships were held at the British Wrestling Academy in Salford, a popular event with teams from Scotland, Wales, Ireland and Malta competing.

Sharples’ senior wrestlers produced an emphatic display which was shown in their medal haul of six medals consisting of five gold and one bronze medal.

George Ramm, who has recently signed for German Bundesliga club KSK Konkordia 1924 Neuss e.V, flew into compete for his home town club Sharples and won Gold in the 65kilo category, winning all of his matches with technical superiority.

Mostaffa Fatahiniya competed in the 79-kilo category. Unfortunately he sustained a nasty gash to the head in the first exchange of the first match.

The injury hampered Fatahiniya’s performance, but he refused to retire, despite having the cut glued and taped at every opportunity between his matches. Despite the drama, Fatahiniya showed his class and still managed to win all of his matches with superior technical skills.

Lewis Mcgrath also competing in 79-kilo weight group coming away with an impressive bronze.

Georgina Nelthorpe entered the 76-kilo division, coming away with gold in an impressive outing.

Kelsey Barnes and Malachy O’Rourke both made their senior debuts stepping up from the juniors.

Barnes won all of her matches in the 62-kilo category, securing gold in the final with an impressive pin early in the second period. O’Rourke also impressed his club and national coach with an impressive senior debut, taking gold in the final of the 57-kilo category against a very reputable wrestler from Malta.

Mohammed Ansari completing the team efforts with a hard fought fifth-place finish in the 70-kilo group.

Sharples head coach and Great Britain Wrestling team manager Eddy Kavanagh said: “This was a very successful day for the club’s senior team, making a real statement, not just in terms of the medal haul but with the quality of wrestling displayed by the team.

“The latest additions to the senior team, Malachy and Kelsey, made the step up from the juniors and it is real testament to the club’s infrastructure and coaching when you have your own home-grown wrestlers making the step up to the senior level and putting in the kind of performances that they did to come away with gold medals in their first attempt.”