PADDY BARNES is not the only Belfast man to celebrate a medal victory in Beijing this week.
Mark Cleland (24) went two better than the Olympic boxer by landing a gold - in the somewhat safer, playground discipline of rock, paper, scissors.
Local and national qualifying tournaments drew thousands of competitors from across the world, with Cleland winning a trip to the Olympics last May and a chance to compete in the global competition.
Mr Cleland said: "Facing off against the finest rock, paper, scissors players in the world was an intense challenge that pushed my skills to the limit.
"I tried to look for patterns in my opponents' throws, and in the end, they played right into my hands."
Mr Cleland beat 31 rivals in the Irish final in Dublin to win the chance to represent Ireland at the Beijing championships.
There he defeated Canada's Pablo Sebastian Gatica in the final on Saturday, while Sean Sears from the US was awarded the bronze medal in the first-ever Budweiser International Rock, Paper, Scissors Federation Championship.
Not one for letting the easy pun go, Matti Leshem, founder and commissioner of the USA Rock, Paper, Scissors League and International Rock Paper Scissors Federation, said it had set out with its sponsors to find the most talented player and "Mark proved to be a cut above the rest".
The championship heats took place in 64 pubs in the Dublin area throughout March and April.
Club Bud, a nightclub which hosted parties throughout the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, was the venue for the championship final.