In January, we wrote that Oliwia Ziembikiewicz from Gladiator had taken part in a Polish Muay Thai national team training camp for the first time. “Her talent was spotted there,” says Przemysław Grecki, manager of the Gladiator Bolesławiec Combat Sports Club. The 11-year-old—as the only female competitor in the country!—has been called up to the national team for the Thai boxing World Championships, which will take place in Malaysia at the beginning of May.
It is difficult to say what her chances are. Przemysław Grecki explains that one of Gladiator’s competitors went to Thailand for sparring and had to fight a 14-year-old boy who already had, quite remarkably, 40 fights to his name. “There is a gulf between competitors from Asia and Europe. Thai boxing is only just getting started in our country, especially among the youngest athletes,” the club manager points out.
Oliwia currently trains almost every day: four times with a group of Gladiator competitors and twice individually with a coach. What is more, once a month she travels to Łódź for Polish Muay Thai national team training camps, where she has the opportunity, among other things, to spar with the national Thai boxing champion in the children’s category.
Our female Gladiator was brought to training by her father, who practised boxing himself. The 11-year-old fighter admits that she enjoys Muay Thai. She wants to fight and will give it her all in Malaysia.
Oliwia’s trip will cost PLN 7,500. This exceeds the club’s financial capabilities. Anyone who could support our female Gladiator is asked to contact us by phone at: 883 164 914.
(information: KSW Gladiator/ii)