Ballymena siblings Lacey and Kain Stewart delivered outstanding performances at the WKO European Championships in Barnsley, bringing home major European titles for Cuchulainn Combat Sports.
Ballymena Stewart Siblings Shine At WKO European Championships
Ballymena’s Stewart siblings, Lacey and Kain, have returned home as European champions after a remarkable weekend at the WKO European Championships in Barnsley.
Representing Cuchulainn Combat Sports under local MMA star Alan “Super Ali” Philpott, the talented young fighters took on elite opposition from across Europe and delivered performances that will live long in local sporting memory.
Lacey Stewart Claims The WKO European K1 Crown
First into action was Lacey Stewart, a Year 8 pupil at Dunclug College.
Fresh from winning her recent WKA Northern Ireland title, Lacey entered the K1 division against the reigning WKO English Champion.
Despite being seen by some as the underdog, Lacey produced a dominant display from the opening bell. She used powerful punches, sharp kicks, and relentless pressure to take control of the bout.
Her performance was so strong that her opponent appeared close to a referee stoppage.
After a composed and commanding fight, Lacey secured a unanimous decision victory and was crowned the WKO European K1 Novice Champion.
“King Kain” Stewart Rules The Ring
Not to be outdone, 10-year-old Kain “King Kain” Stewart also delivered a championship-winning performance.
The Ballykeel Primary School P7 pupil is already a highly decorated young fighter, with multiple WKA World and British titles to his name.
Competing in the boxing division, Kain faced a multi-time World Champion known as “The Psycho”.
However, the ring name did not faze him.
Kain used lightning-fast counter-punching, clever movement, and brilliant angle changes to control the contest. His sharp boxing and impressive ring IQ earned him the WKO European Boxing Championship.
His performance also received a standing ovation from judges and officials at ringside.
Kain Completes A Stunning Double Crown Weekend
Kain’s weekend did not end there.
After a gruelling and narrow loss in a toe-to-toe K1 battle on Saturday afternoon, he showed the attitude of a true young champion.
Rather than letting the result define him, Kain returned to action on Sunday morning for another major boxing clash.
He started quickly, dropping his opponent multiple times with slick boxing to book his place in the final.
In the final, Kain faced newly crowned European kickboxing champion Emilis Melinis.
Using his reach, smart feints, and explosive counters, Kain dominated the bout and secured another unanimous judges’ decision.
The victory gave him his second European boxing title of the weekend and confirmed exactly why he is known as “King Kain”.
A Proud Moment For Ballymena
The achievements of Lacey and Kain Stewart are a major sporting success story for Ballymena.
Their discipline, courage, and talent have placed them among Europe’s brightest young combat sports prospects.
With major titles already secured at such young ages, the future looks incredibly exciting for the Stewart siblings and Cuchulainn Combat Sports.
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