Boxing Clever

GCSE student Alana Hulme, who is a twice British Muay Thai Championship winner has been awarded a prestigious grant to support her sporting future

A teen Thai boxing sensation is all set to compete at the AFSO Unified Championships in Carrara, Italy later this year.

Twice British Championship winner Alana Hulme, took up Muay Thai when she was 10.

Following in the footsteps of her mum Nicola, also a Thai boxer, Alana had initially tried kick boxing: “To my surprise I ended up really liking Muay Thai and I have grown to absolutely love the sport over the years.

“When I first began training just once a week, I started to enjoy the sessions more and more so I started to increase my time at the gym,” says Alana, whose dad Gavin and younger sister Emmie are also Thai boxers.

“I absolutely love sharing this passion with my family, it makes it even more special for me when I win a title, as we all appreciate the hard work and dedication it takes to take home a belt.”

When she was just 13, Alana clinched the British Championship title in the 12 to 14 age category and went on to successfully defend that title.

Now her sights are set on Italy and, beyond that, the 2024 Olympics, which will feature Thai boxing for the first time.

“That’s definitely my aim to get to the Olympics,” says Alana, who explains a little about the sport.

“Thai boxing is a bit like kick boxing, but you can do more things. It sounds brutal – when you are at a certain level you can use knees and elbows to the head. I recently had my first novice fight using these techniques and I didn’t think I was going to like it, but it was fine!”

Training at least five times a week, Alana was recently selected for a prestigious Make a Difference (MAD) award by the Ribble Valley-based charity Dan’s Trust, which was founded by Peter and Shelagh Bagshaw of Clitheroe, along with their sons Ian, Gary, and their wives Liz and Sarah. The charity was established in 2012 after the death of their son and brother, Daniel Bagshaw.

Dan, who was just 27, died on the finish line of an ITU Olympic distance triathlon in Hong Kong after suffering from a sudden and unexplained arrhythmia. Dan was a cycling enthusiast and a talented and athletic young lawyer.

The Bagshaw family are all passionate about the trust and supporting local young people with their dreams: “It’s fantastic to welcome Alana to our roster of talented ambassadors and award-winners from across Lancashire.

“We’re looking forward to supporting Alana’s Muay Thai journey and watching her talent and number of fight-wins grow,” says co-founder Ian Bagshaw.

The trust appointed 15-year-old Alana as an ambassador as well as helping fund her travel expenses and equipment that has enabled her to compete in Italy.

“I’m over the moon to have been selected for a Dan’s Trust MAD award. The funding will also go towards paying for my nutritionists who will ensure I’m eating the right amounts for my training and get me in the best shape possible.

“My plans and hopes for the future are to get into the GB national squad and to represent my country across the world.

 “Thanks to this extra funding, this huge dream feels one step closer,” says the rising star, who racks up 15 hours of training in a week.

As well as its successful awards programme, Dan’s Trust promotes and funds research into the early diagnosis of cardiac risk in the young, as well as the improvement of treatment methods for sudden cardiac arrest

danstrust.org.uk

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