Should Hawke's Bay Muay Thai fighter Cody Thomson find his first taste of international competition a little daunting, a perfect remedy will be on tap.
His father and trainer, Scotty Thomson, has had a 30-year involvement in the martial art. If his son gets a bout of the nerves as the countdown to the May 1-10 world championships at Langkawi Island, Malaysia begins, Thomson snr will be able to tell the 14-year-old Napier Boys' High School year 10 student he isn't alone.
Officials at the 110-country event are likely to be on edge also as this will be the final opportunity for them to get the thumbs up from a selection committee for Olympic Games inclusion. It won't just be the tropical island heat getting to competitors and officials.
"That heat is one of the reasons we're going early ... so we will have plenty of time to acclimatise," Thomson, the only Hawke's Bay junior in the 31-strong Kiwi team, said, referring to the fact the New Zealand team leaves on Saturday.
An under-57kg class fighter, Thomson has had five fights (four wins and a loss) during the seven years he has represented the Highlanders Fight Club. Despite this inexperience, he is aiming high in the gruelling knockout event.