A TEENAGER from Basingstoke has been crowned the world champion in kickboxing.
Mia Purkiss, 14, fought off the competition in the under-15s category in the WKU World Championships in Germany on October 28.
A keen fighter, Mia has been kickboxing for nine years and said she trained hard throughout the year, six days a week, in preparation for the competition.
She added: "It feels amazing. It was a shock. My initial thought was just to get through the qualifiers, to get through the first round.
READ MORE
- TV presenter to showcase her handmade jewellery at Basingstoke Christmas market
- 107 today, skydiving tomorrow? 'Sprightly' Doris celebrates milestone birthday
- Fury as man received 'no support' in 10 years as full-time carer for grandad
- 1940s school pupils return with tales of air raids, the cane and outdoor loos
- College unveils plaque to honour award-winning entrepreneur
"It was a very busy tournament, there was a good atmosphere, all different countries, and all shouting and everything, it just brought out the best."
Mia explained why she got into kickboxing. She said: "Because I was angry, and I was very energetic at the same time, and I needed something to release it on. I started with karate, but that was no contact, so I stopped for a couple of years and then went on to this."
She said she couldn't have achieved her win without support from her coach, George Peploe.
Mr Peploe, who has been a coach at BKO Kickboxing in the Moniton Trading Estate for nine years, said: "She is an amazing junior coach and an inspiration to all our fighters.
"Her mindset and the way she is made me super proud. She's amazing as a person and as a fighter."
Mia thanked her mother and father, Suzanne and Gregg Purkiss, and her brother Oscar who was the first person to celebrate with her after her win.
Gregg said: "We can't put it into words, I don't think it's fully sunk in yet. You can't comprehend how proud we are as a family.
"It was just one of those lump-in-the-throat moments, it was just a kind of: 'This is going to happen, isn't it?'
"It was just amazing, surreal."
Mia added that her ultimate ambition is to go to the Olympics or the WAKO GB team, which is the highest level of elite kickboxing.
Miss Purkiss also thanked her England coaches, Charlotte, Lorraine, Owen and Richard, along with everyone who donated to her GoFundMe, and her sponsors, Ionut Nicolov and NYA and Sons Trans Ltd and Rotary Sport for their support.
Dr Tunde Adelakun, president of Rotary Sport, said: "Watching her donning the Rotary Sport shirts all through her stay in Germany fills us with pride, and we hope it will inspire even more success from her and inspire others to go for the top prizes no matter the challenges."
Share