British Costa girl wins Spanish kickboxing title for chance to be world champ

BRITISH-born 24-year-old Victoria Lomax once weighed over 95 kilogrammes (15 stones). Deciding to lose some weight through sport, she took up kickboxing. Five years later, the 55-kilogramme Spanish champion has a shot at the world title.

When Victoria, originally from Manchester and now living in Alhaurin El Grande, took up the sport, she had no idea how good she would be. However her enthusiasm and ability caught the eye of her trainers, and two years later she entered her first official contest.

Since then, she moved to the Spartans gym in Fuengirola under the guidance of ex-European kickboxing champion IIde Garcia, and became a full-time, professional kickboxer fighting in Spain, the UK and around Europe.

This week at the Municipal Sports Centre in Rincon de la Victoria, in a convincing second-round knockout, Victoria took the 60kg WKU K1 Professional Kickboxing Spanish National title belt, and is now the Spanish champion.

But that tremendous feat is not enough to quell the thirst of this tiny tiger. She will soon start training for a shot at the World Championship title in July, on home ground in Malaga against the reigning Vicki Church.