Ottawa Muay Thai fighter brings home championship belt
After knocking out her opponent in the fourth round, Ottawa’s Tayler Kelly is the World Boxing Council (WBC) Muay Thai Canadian amateur champion – a milestone in the fighter’s young career.
“This one was a big deal for me,” said Kelly. “I didn't go out with much expectations, but I'm glad that I could come out with the win.”
The 24-year-old hasn't been competing for very long, first getting into the sport in 2021.
“I started because I got very out of shape in the pandemic, so I started as a way to whip myself back into shape,” she said. “Then one weekend I was like, yeah, I want to put my skills to the test.”
Originating in Thailand, Muay Thai is a form of martial arts consisting of punches, kicks and knee and elbow strikes. It’s a sport many in Ottawa use as a form of exercise.
“In my 20 years in the sport, I’ve seen it grow exponentially,” said Sacha Leonard-Hajizi. He is Kelly's trainer and the owner of Ottawa Fight and Fitness. He says that interest includes a spike in females getting involved in the typically male-dominated sport.
“I feel like the barriers are broken down and more females are realizing the benefits of training and just having that as a part of their life,” said Leonard-Hajizi.
On any given day, you'll find Kelly hitting the pads. She hopes to turn pro and compete as a member of the International Federation of Muay Thai Associations.
“I just love the competition and, you know, showing my hard work,” she said. “That would be a really cool opportunity to represent Team Canada.”
For now, she's focused on her upcoming fights.
“I have nationals at the tournament in Niagara Falls at the end of April. And then here in Ottawa, there is an event at the Aviation Museum. It's going to be a women's only event. And, hopefully I'll be fighting on that June 1.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Signs of Alzheimer’s were everywhere. Then his brain improved
Blood biomarkers of telltale signs of early Alzheimer’s disease in the brain of his patient, 55-year-old entrepreneur Simon Nicholls, had all but disappeared in a mere 14 months.
Box tree moths have infested Ontario and experts say more are coming. Here's what to do to protect your garden
An invasive moth species is on the rise in Canada and, if you've planted a certain shrub, it could stand to ruin your garden.
Lyon-bound Air Canada Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner from Montreal turns back midflight due to pressurization alert
Passengers heading from Montreal to Lyon, France on Friday were forced to return home and depart the next day after a pressurization indication was detected in flight.
Oilers dominate Canucks, win to force deciding Game 7
The Edmonton Oilers avoided elimination from the NHL playoffs Saturday night, beating the visiting Vancouver Canucks 5-1 in Game 6 of their second-round series.
The eight most expensive homes for sale in Ottawa this spring
Ottawa's ultra luxury housing market is blooming like the tulips this spring, with a significant increase in the number of homes sold worth more than $2 million.
B.C. pipeline company argues its 'haulers' are not trucks, for tax purposes
A contractor working on the Coastal GasLink pipeline has been denied more than $333,000 worth of tax rebates because pieces of machinery it purchased – and claimed were not trucks – were deemed sufficiently truck-like in B.C. Supreme Court.
$500K-worth of elvers seized at Toronto airport
Fishery and border service officers seized more than 100 kilograms of unauthorized elvers at the Toronto Pearson International Airport on Wednesday.
Usyk beats Fury by split decision, becomes undisputed heavyweight champion
Oleksandr Usyk defeated Tyson Fury by split decision to become the first undisputed heavyweight boxing champion in 24 years.
To plant or not to plant? Gardening tips for May long weekend
May long weekend is finally here, and with the extra time off you may be getting the itch to head out to your garden and plant. However, the old debate whether you should plant now, or wait, is still ever-present.