Two local Muay Thai fighters have ranked in the top 10 in the UK for their sport.
Victoria Smith was ranked third in the women’s super-featherweight category, and Kimberly Noel was ranked ninth in the women’s featherweight category by the UK Muay Thai Rankings.
Both women train in the Thai martial art and full-contact combat sport at Blood Fitness Martial Arts Academy in Jersey.
Blood Fitness owner Michael Blood described their rankings as “such a big achievement in such a demanding and hard sport to compete in”.
Kimberly, who has done Muay Thai for four years, said: “We absolutely didn’t expect this.”
“I parent a little girl and I work full-time. However, I train two to four times a day, usually at lunch time and in the evening.
“It was certainly not expected.”
Victoria is a full-time personal trainer at Blood Fitness who started Muay Thai three years ago. She trains five or six times a week.
“I had previously taken a break as I have three children, two who are four and one who is six,” she explained.
“When I started again in 2022, my goal was to go as far as I could with it. I had a competition at Trinity Royal Showground against a French champion and fought the number seven fighter in the UK, plus another two ranked girls.”
Victoria’s trainer is her partner Shemmy Stachura, who is also a personal trainer at Blood Fitness.
She added: “I now rank third in the UK.
“It is an unforgiving sport: you do lots of work and get little back. So, this last year I entered ranking and earned two titles.
“It’s so rewarding after ten years of hard work, and a testament to not giving up.”