Kickboxer Ruby’s title delight

A teenager is helping inspire more girls to get into kickboxing after she became a national champion. Aylesham’s Ruby Monger beat Wales’ Abi Williams to win the World Ring Sport Association -55kg English title in Chippenham, Wiltshire. The 16-year-old, who trains at Whitstable Kickboxing - which is changing its name to the S2 Martial Arts Academy - has her sights on competing for a British title later this year.

She has also been selected by the WAKO (World Association of Kickboxing Organizations) GB team to compete at the World Championships in Ireland this September. “She is coming on leaps and bounds,” said dad Fraser Monger, who works for the Kent Fire and Rescue Service. “A few (other) girls have come to the club as well now. “It’s good she is inspiring other girls to get involved in the sport because it’s still quite male-dominated.” The pupil at Simon Langton Girls’ Grammar School in Canterbury, nicknamed “Tiny Tank”, first got involved in kickboxing five years ago. Fraser explained: “She started kickboxing when she

was 11 as a confidence booster because she was quite a shy and timid girl. She now trains every day Monday to Friday.

“She did a few local competitions and got quite good, to be fair, and one of the promoters offered her a title fight.

“She beat a girl from Wales, who was very experienced and had done it since she was six.” But with a crucial period at school coming up, Ruby, whose mum Maria Harrison works at Dover’s Green Park Community Primary School, has her attention firmly on her studies.

Her dad said: “We are looking around October time with the British title, the date is to be confirmed later in the year. She just needs to concentrate on her exams until then. “Then once her exams are done, she can really focus on that (fight).”

Ruby’s win was a first national success for the club, where she is trained by brothers Frankie and Tommy Smith.

For more details about the club, based on the Joseph Wilson Industrial Estate in Whitstable, search for Whitstable Kickboxing on Facebook.

Ruby Monger in action and, right, celebrating with her coaches