Wrestler Joe Thompson wins two world titles
Last updated 08:37, Friday, 03 October 2008
Joe Thompson of Alston had the best day of his wrestling life at Eskdale Show.
The thousands of miles travelled to wrestling events all over the North of England in the past few years paid off with a famous victory in the under-15 World Championship.
Just to confirm his newfound status, he then waded through a heavy and numerous entry in the under-18s competition to win that too.
The real tension of the championship came in the second round when Thompson met the titleholder, Scott Brocklebank.
For both wrestlers a strong hold is important and the referee, Joe Harrington, had to work hard to give each wrestler a fair hold.
The wrestling rules for the commencement of the bout stipulate a slack hold, keeping hold, feet motionless, chins over shoulders, heads touching, shoulders level and no struggling for hold.
All of these strictures were ignored as the young wrestlers’ adrenaline kicked in.
Once the action began, it was ironic that most of the bouts were won from the “turned in” side.
Thompson took the first by keeping tight hold of Brocklebank’s head and twisting him forward from the right.
Then Thompson manoeuvred himself into a strong position in the second bout, only to have Brocklebank twist him back over to level the score.
All seemed to be going well for Brocklebank in the decider for he gained the coveted hold and back-heeled strongly with his right leg, sending Thompson falling backwards.
At the last moment Thompson found space to spin round and twist Brocklebank past him and down.
A battle had been won, but the war went on as two other strong contenders, William Hayhurst and James Hall, met in the semi-final.
Hayhurst’s stocky power took him through by clinging low and close to Hall before back-heeling.
The first fall of the final kept the suspense going as the two wrestlers flew through the air to land simultaneously for a dog-fall.
In the second, Hayhurst had all the hold, but when he attacked to finish his opponent, Thompson caught him with a buttock.
Hayhurst had a cunning strategy for the third bout: as the referee shouted “wrestle” he immediately went to buttock.
But Thompson was alert enough to react by pushing hip forward into the turf. Stan Roberts, Eskdale Show Vice-President, was an especially appropriate person to present Joe Thompson with his trophy, for exactly 60 years ago he had felled John Williamson in the Under 15 Years Championship at nearby Bootle to win the same trophy.
John Harrington of Bewaldeth had another of those days when he was virtually unbeatable.
He felled a good local wrestler, Richard Benn, in the final of the 12 stones, and in the All Weights felled the young Carlisle Heavyweight, Jack Ewart, in the final.
His biggest challenge came earlier when Thomas Graham of Alston used his weight and power effectively to take the first fall against him, but Harrington’s skill told in the end.
Carlisle Wrestling Club will hold its annual meeting at 8pm on Friday, October 10, at Currock House, and wrestling sessions in the Gym will start on Wednesday October 15 at 7.45pm. Anyone interested in wrestling is invited to attend.
Eskdale Show
Under-15 Years World Championship: 1, J Thompson; 2, W Hayhurst; 3, J Hall.
Under-18 Years: 1, J Thompson; 2, J Ewart; 3, J Hall.
10½ st: 1, S Denwood; 2, C Naylor; 3, J Hayhurst.
12st: 1, John Harrington; 2, R Benn; 3, C Naylor.
All Weights: 1, John Harrington; 2, J Ewart; 3, Scott Watson.
Dates:
Saturday October 11, 1.30pm Alwinton Show U10/U13/U16/U21/12 Ch’ship/14/AW. Wasdale Head, Friday November 7: Wrestling Association Dinner. Tickets available.
