The last ever grapevine teeshirt for a warrior.
(Leave the fighting to Monica’s Taekwondo please)
I had one grapevine tee left, I was determined to hold on to this one. I’d had a few negative experiences with the page, mostly trolls etc and was thinking of calling it a day.
I was going to keep the last one for myself. A souvenir of the grapevine.
When I spoke with Monica Ilievas mother Liliya I realised whether the page stayed or went the last tee was going to Monica.
On a whim I added Katie Taylor’s photo to the post about Monica this morning to also celebrate Katie’s win last night.
Monica apparently usually takes things in her stride so committed to her training regime of three four hours a day, that the victories come and go
Monica puts the medals in the cupboard and focuses on the next fight no fuss no drama.
However Dad Dimitri tells me that Monica was buzzing that i had said she might be lurgans Katie Taylor amazed that she was in the same sentence as her idol.
They have to sneak the Katie Taylor tee shirt out of her bedroom and into the washing machine otherwise she would wear it to school in St Ronans !
Monica is a rising star of the Olympic sport TaeKwondo . The British team offered to fly her to Manchester three times a week for training. Monica and her family originally from Bulgaria want her to fight for Ireland so she goes to Dublin three times a week.
A Taekwondo master in Thailand saw one clip of Monica and contacted the family saying that he saw a future world champion in her and wanted to meet her. The family flew to Thailand to train with Master Kim. Rigorous four hour training sessions followed. I saw the photos of the bruising
The fourteen year old confirmed to Master Kim she had what it took in the brutal sessions
She returned to lurgan sore from head to foot and a training regime that will hopefully see Master Kim’s predictions come true. So she may indeed follow in the footsteps of her hero Katie Taylor to Olympic glory. At this point I would ask my friends in the boxing community to tell Katie about Monica she would love to say hello.
Take a look at the table.
I had to tell Ililya to stop putting food on it for me as I had to go home for the dinner. The warmth of the welcome I received was humbling. It was an absolute privilege to speak with them.
They say it takes a village to raise a warrior let us in lurgan be Monica’s village. The British team is well funded and they were going to pay for Monica to go to Manchester three times weekly.
The Irish team who Monica fights for not so much.. We can help raise an Olympic warrior.
See the crowd funding link below.
I know nothing about taekwondo but as a GAA youth coach and former teacher sometimes you just know when you’ve met someone destined for great things.
Can I just say that todays experience with this beautiful family, has dispelled any thoughts of the grapevine going away.
when I think of how hard mum and dad are working to help make Monica’s dream a reality. If Monica can put up with the blows of martial artists, I’m sure I can deal with a few trolls.
Katie Taylor if you see this please say hello to our champ. And Lurgan we can leave the fighting to our Monica.
By Editor
Paidi O Hadhmail
As explained in the video Monica and her family had no choice but to wisely except the support and opportunity with team gb.
