Nurse gets kick from title

THERESA Carter is one nurse you wouldn ’t want to mess with after she recently won the World Kickboxing Championship in Thailand.

While her bedside manner in Royal Perth Hospital ’s adult burns unit may be mild, it ’s a whole different story in the arena, where her flying knees and elbows may end up sending you to bed.

Carter started kickboxing eight years ago and began competing only four years ago.

"I originally started Muay Thai for fun and to increase my fitness, then I reached a level where I felt confident with my technique and took up the challenge to fight in the ring," she said.

Carter and her partner/coach Lee Blackman teach Muay Thai at the gym they started in Cannington.

Carter took two weeks off work for intensive training in Bangkok before the championships, which were held at the King ’s Garden on the Thai King ’s birthday, December 4, before thousands of spectators.

She won the world title for the World Professional Muay Thai Federation (WPMF) at 59kg, against a French competitor who had been living and training in Bangkok for three months. She said she was treated like a superstar.

"Everyone wanted to congratulate me on winning such a tough fight," she said.

"But even though I was in there fighting solo, an immense amount of work goes on behind the scenes to prepare for a fight like that, so I was very happy to have won the belt for my coach and everyone at the gym that supported me."

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