Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1526855
10 gozotoday | FRIDAY • 20 SEPTEMBER 2024 NEWS Gozitan teen wins place on Malta's national kick boxing team for World Championships 17-YEAR-OLD Sam Portelli from Nadur has been invited to represent Malta at the World Championships 2024 in Vienna, Austria as part of the country's kick-boxing team. Sam beat opponent Amy Vella of Team Noel in three rounds at the ISKA (International Sport Kickboxing Association) National Championships at the Montekristo Estate, Siggiewi, last week, winning on points to take the belt. This win earned her a place in next month's World Championships (23-27 October) where she will com- pete in the Girls (16 & 17 yrs old) category (129 lbs and un- der). "I was thrilled to win the match at Montekristo and be- coming part of the national team is absolutely incredible. I can't wait to get to Vienna, and I'd like to thank Fight Sci- ence Gozo and all the people in Nadur and Gozo who have been – and continue to be - so incredibly supportive. It's great to know I have the whole island behind me!" Sam said. "It's the first time a Gozitan club has entered any fighters into the National Champion- ships, it was an awesome win and it's a first for Gozo to have a Gozo representative on the national team," smiles Matt Goldham, Sam's coach and Founder of Fight Science Gozo where Sam, who was previously a competitive swimmer, start- ed kick-boxing in 2023. "I couldn't be more proud of her. She has a natural talent and is really putting the work in to get ready for the Worlds." Sam is currently enjoying sponsorship from Kinetika Gozo which has offered her a complementary gym pass for her cardio and strength train- ing, and Ritual Dive in Xlendi who are providing some sup- port for Sam's equipment and transport costs to and from Sliema's Fight Co. premises for additional training. She is going to need compe- tition standard equipment as she prepares for next month's World Championships. Fight science Gozo Fight Science Gozo opened in a 50 m2 space in Victoria less than two years ago, convert- ing a former garage into a gym dedicated to kick-boxing. The club has gone from strength to strength: founder Matt Gold- ham and coach Chris Kovacs now run 11 group classes a week for all ages (from age 4 to adults) in addition to private sessions. "We have expanded the coaching team recently to wel- come a female trainer, Sarah Vella, who has trained at a high level in the US and Thailand. We are also happy to have in- troduced a dedicated wom- en-only class for those who prefer it." "We're bursting at the seams now," laughs Matt, "and still only have access to a makeshift boxing ring in a local farmer's field which we use in the heat, the wind and the rain! I have been determined to change this! We are in the process of getting new premises which I hope will be up and running by the end of the year. They will be much bigger and excitingly, the new gym will have a 18-foot competition ring. There are several in Malta but it will be brilliant for Gozo to have its own." The 18-foot competition ring will comply with international standards and would be able to host national and international events. "The fight promoters, top fighters and clubs in Mal- ta have been very welcoming and helpful, and Fight Science Gozo is keen to give some- thing back. We have therefore organised an event with one of the world's top kick-boxers internationally, John 'The Gen- eral' Haggerty who is the reign- ing ONE kick boxing world champion at Bantamweight, a former ONE Flyweight & Ban- tamweight Muay Thai World Champion," he continues. ONE is the world's largest martial arts organization and one of the world's biggest sport promoters globally. "Haggerty's coming to Gozo on Tuesday 7th January to give a seminar masterclass, before he heads over to Australia for a tour there. It's a real coup that he's coming here at all, and we're very much hoping to be able to host him in Gozo's new Sports Centre." "Haggerty's such an inspira- tional fighter, the 'David Beck- ham of the kick-boxing world," grins Matt, "and people are planning trips across from Ita- ly especially to see him speak. He also has over 650k followers on Instagram so he'll really be able to spread the world about Gozo and the great facilities we're getting here!" Sam Portelli (centre) proudly displaying her belt after t the ISKA (International Sport Kickboxing Association) National Championships