MMA: Faith Van Duin has determined push to be world No1

Rangimarie and Rererangi with their mother, Faith Van Duin, who is hoping to become the world's best MMA woman fighter this year. Photo/Ruth Keber

A Papamoa woman is taking her fearless approach to mixed martial arts (MMA) on to the world stage.

MMA fighter Faith Van Duin has been training for the past two years, juggling full-time work and raising two children, while gaining a No1 ranking in New Zealand and fourth in the world for the MMA Featherweight Championship.

She took up the sport to get fit.

"I wanted to show my daughters I can do anything I put my mind to," said the 27-year-old.

"Even before I started I made the goal I'm going to start this, I'm going to stick to it, and I am going to be No1. I am going to show my daughters I can do this. From the beginning that has been my plan."

Last year she took on New Zealand's No1 MMA fighter Kate De Silva, and beat her at the Storm Damage 8 women elimination championships in Australia, to become No1 women's MMA fighter in the Australasian region.

She said her first amateur win gave her the confidence to know she was on the right track and working hard enough to get where she wanted to be.

"My first fight, I have never felt that excitment before. I don't want to let anyone down, especially myself."

Van Duin trains five to six times a week and sometimes up to five hours a day. "I love the push, the push to better myself all the time. I have never been physical, fit or sporty, so thought if I show my daughters you can do anything with hard work and determination it will be a good skill for them to learn from."

With few women to train and compete with against in New Zealand, Van Duin is put in the corner with male opponents.

"There is only one other woman I train with in jiu-jitsu, so I train with all the men, which means I spar with all the men."

She has never been hurt by her male opponents. "But I suppose when I get hit by a man, I feel it's going to be less than being hit by a woman. It just makes you stronger. If I want to get to No1 they can't take it easy on me."