SHARPLES Wrestling Club are again praising the efforts of their youngsters after recent trips at home and abroad paid dividends.

Two of their most promising youngsters, Malachy O’Rourke and Harvey Ridings, performed admirably in Riga, Latvia recently.

Malachy, aged 14, a multiple national champion, took bronze in his 45kg category with Ridings, aged 12, finishing seventh out of 29 wrestlers.

The pair are two of the youngest wrestlers on the National Talent Squad and have both been selected again for a forthcoming competition in Estonia with Kelsey Barnes and Ryan Kay making up the four selected.

Eddy Kavanagh, coach at Sharples said of the two youngsters: “It’s a great experience and helps them deal with competition in a different country and travelling with a team.

“They are two young, promising wrestlers who have taken the next step on the talent ladder and have both wrestled at two internationals now and both won medals so they are doing well.”

Indeed, Sharples look to be progressing nicely as the recent domestic results would also suggest.

The Aspull Warriors meet at the end of February proved very successful as 14 of the 15 fighters the gym took to the competition finished in the top three – seven winning gold, four silver and three bronze.

The future certainly looks bright and Kavanagh is hoping that by opening another wrestling club at Castle Hill he can help to build more interest in the sport.

“It’s going okay,” he said. “We are getting some new people in and delivering four sessions so it’s gradually building.”

“It’s a project really, we are hoping to make a sustainable wrestling club in the east side of Bolton.”