Press Release: Vancouver’s Female Fighters Prepare to Touch Gloves in Thailand

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

VANCOUVER’S FEMALE FIGHTERS PREPARE TO TOUCH GLOVES IN THAILAND

Mother of two and 30-year-old rookie weigh in on the MMA debate as they head to Thailand for their first Muay Thai fight

Date: January 19, 2010 

Vancouver. As the arrival of Mixed Martial Arts events in Vancouver continues to stir up debate, two Vancouver-based women are throwing more controversy in to the ring as they prepare for a fight of their own this March in Thailand.

Between March 8 and 15, the Sinbi Muay Thai Gym (http://sinbi-muaythai.com/) in Phuket, Thailand, will be home to Emma Lynds (36-year-old old mother of two from Vancouver) and Olivia Bevan (30-year-old old rookie from the UK, now living in Vancouver). For seven days, under the watch of their expert Thai trainers they will live, breathe and sweat the world of Muay Thai as they prepare for their first fight.

Emma Lynds said, “I know it’s going to be hard for many to understand why women would take part in a sport that involves such close physical contact. One in which they walk in to a ring, potentially prepared to inflict or subject themselves to damage, especially when the MMA debate is still so raw and controversial for many people in Vancouver. Women don’t realize it’s a sport that’s open to them. We focus on the men in the cage and that’s it.

“We’re not doing this to deliberately break moulds or make a statement. We practice Muay Thai because we love it. Thailand is going to be challenging and we fully expect the injuries come as standard. Neither of us has stepped in to a ring before now and it’s hard to imagine what we’re going to feel like, but it’s about dispelling preconceived ideas of women in sport, pushing boundaries and exploring untapped potential.”

Attending a live Muay Thai fight is a popular past-time in Thailand, but the set-up couldn’t be more removed from the world of big-money MMA cage fighting. The only spotlight will be the solitary bulb hanging above the ring, and the women there will be inside the ropes rather than parading around them.

On the night of the fight, among the chanting, cat-calling locals, teams will deliver last-minute directions to their fighter about throwing rib-shattering elbows and knees. They have until the harsh clang of the official bell. Once the women have touched gloves, they’re on their own.

Sinbi Muay Thai gym is not just open to aspiring fighters. Anyone can visit. Some stay for two weeks, some for a month, some even a year. People travel there to lose weight, get in shape, compete or just have fun. Whatever your reason for staying, all ages, shapes and sizes are welcome. But it’s no stroll in the park. Blood, sweat and tears are served by the bucket.

There is of course the backdrop of beautiful beaches and dawdling local elephants to sweeten the bitter pill of hardcore training, but Sinbi expects a lot from its students: a morning run and at least five hours of training per day. Emma and Olivia have been training for months up to this point, but Thailand is where it really begins.

Emma Lynds is a black belt in Hapkido and owns Elements Academy of Martial Arts (http://www.elementsacademy.com/). She is the only woman to have created and owned her own private Martial Arts club in the City of Vancouver. Olivia Bevan is one of her aspiring students.

If you’d like more information about this topic or would like to schedule Emma and Olivia for an interview please call Olivia Bevan on 778 317 9588 or email her at livster@hotmail.com.