Enniskillen teenager Naoise McManus is a star performer for her age group and is having the time of her life competing for Team GB in both beach wrestling and Olympic freestyle.
To help Naoise improve and develop her parents procured a tonne of sand and created a unique Beach Wrestling pit in their garden. “It’s really helping my training as most of the time the beaches in Northern Ireland are of course too cold and wet for beach wrestling,” explains Naoise.
Though weather permitting she does sometimes train on local beaches.
Naoise joined the GB squad set up in 2024 after winning Gold in the U15 British Championships held in Manchester – and it’s one of her proudest moments to date. It led to an invitation to the GB Trials in which she was successful. Ongoing squad selection is based on yearly trials and Naoise successfully secured her place in the squad again for the 25/26 season.
The Team GB performance manager noted Naoise’s attacking wrestling style and she was then selected to compete in beach wrestling and started on that journey early in 2025.
“I really love beach wrestling – it requires a different mindset and techniques to Freestyle,” says Naoise.
As there is no freestyle in the upcoming 2026 Youth Olympics in Dakar, Senegal, Team GB has started to expand into Beach Wrestling and have applied for an allocation at these Olympics.
“It’s a waiting game in the run up to November 2026. GB needs to be given an allocation by the International Olympic Committee and United World Wrestling (UWW) which is the international governing body for all wrestling disciplines. My 8th place in the World Beach Championships during September 2025 has put me in a strong position as that competition was considered part of the qualifying criteria.”
For Naoise, beach wrestling competitions to date include the Europeans U17s in Croatia (May 2025) where she came 7th, then in September 2025, 8th place in the U17s World Championships in Greece.
“I’ve seen and competed on some lovely beaches! My favourite so far is in Finland near Helsinki when in August 2025 I took Gold in the Finnish Open, U17s.”
Naoise was back in Helsinki during December 2025 for the Freestyle Helsinki Open where she took bronze. This time it was snowing but at least it was freestyle – and indoors.
It wasn’t wrestling that first inspired Naoise on her sporting journey, rather it was acro (acrobatic) gymnastics. “I did Acro for 10 years, first in Fermanagh and then in County Monaghan. At age 13 I’d gone as far as I could go as a ‘top’ and didn’t want to transfer to become a ‘base’ and was on the lookout for a new sport. It was the summer holidays, so I had lots of time to try out new disciplines.”
“I tried running and football, then my mum came across a local wrestling club on facebook. It was Erne Wrestling founded by Bruce Irwin in 2013 who originally came from Kesh. I went along for a trial session and loved it. Like gymnastics, conditioning and flexibility are very important for wrestling so I felt my 10 years of acro gave me a great head start.”
One of Naoise’s heroes in freestyle wrestling is USA professional competitor Helen Maroulis. Like a female TV Gladiator in looks, Helen at Rio 2016 became the first American to win a Gold in Women’s Freestyle wrestling in an Olympic Games.
“Helen also has four World Championship Golds, most recently at Zagreb, Croatia in 2025 when she came back after a major injury in 2018. I really admire the fact that she fought back and is a World Champion aged 34. I would love to meet Helen in person, and I watch videos of her in competition and note her technique. I just love her style and feel I could echo her – I certainly try very hard.”
It’s no coincidence that Naoise has a very American wrestling style as her coach Bruce Irwin spent his formative years in California when his family moved from Kesh to the Golden State when he was at primary school.
“My coach Bruce competed in wrestling at High School and at College level and he also did gymnastics, so he totally understands my approach and style.”
In California they say, ‘Dream Big’ and Naoise’s dream would be to compete at an Olympics.
Currently studying maths, chemistry and biology A Levels at Mount Lourdes GS in Enniskillen, Naoise would love to study medicine either at Queen’s or Manchester universities. “I know Manchester well as I train there one weekend a month at the British Wrestling Academy.
“I also enjoy playing rugby for my school, Mount Lourdes. There is a big crossover between moves and play from wrestling to rugby and I loved being part of the school team.”
Naoise first became a Mary Peters Trust supported athlete back in Spring 2025 and she very much appreciates the Trust’s help. “Lady Mary Peters is a real inspiration. I did some research when I was over in Manchester and discovered that Lady Mary was also based in the city for a period of time.
“The fact that Mary worked in a job alongside her sports training showed that you can become a champion even if you are combining both. I really admire her grit, determination and dedication.”
Naoise also has Level 1 in both coaching and refereeing, so no matter what happens in the future she will stay in the sport.
“Wrestling is looking for younger female referees for future Olympic Games and I would love to do that even if I’m not competing.
“With my coaching qualification I can give something back to the sport and hopefully encourage girls younger than me to take up the sport.”
