Gisborne fighters medal up at martial arts tourney in Thailand

Reasons to smile, despite the discomfort. Sixteen-year-old Te Ratu Davies with his gold medal for Muay Boran and silver medal for kick-boxing, that he earned fighting in the under-19 division at the International and Thai Martial Arts Games in Thailand. He is also sporting another trophy from the tournament . . . a fractured thumb he suffered on the first day. It did not stop him from continuing to compete with distinction. Picture by Paul Rickard

Melissa Mackey-Huriwai is a happy coach.

Seven members of her Gisborne Rangataua o Aōtearoa Martial Arts and Culture Club crew medalled up in Muaythai and Muay Boran at the sixth International and Thai Martial Arts Games in Thailand.

The tournament also included taekwondo, jiu-jitsu, kick-boxing and boxing and ran for more than eight days.

Te Ratu Davies, 16, one of six competitors in the under-19 division, won gold in Muay Boran and silver in kick-boxing.

Natalie Mackey, one of four fighters in the women’s division, took silver in Muay Boran.

Ishtar Mackey-Huriwai, 17, won silver in the under-19 division, in Muay Boran, and won kick-boxing silver in the women’s senior division of three competitors.

Ishtar said: “I was happy with some components of my fight game, though it’s always harder fighting up a weight class, which I did.

“There’s always something to work on, improve upon, for the next event.

“I’m excited that I’ll be able to gain more experience at fighting adults in the next two months, which will only make me stronger.”

Jack-John Maurirere, 16, one of five Muay Boran fighters in the under-18 division, won bronze.

Symphony Hira, 16, one of three competitors in the under-18 division, won silver in Muay Boran and kick-boxing.

Thalia Mackey-Huriwai, 9, competed in the under-12 division and won silver in Muay Boran.

Jaxston Mackey-Riini, at 8 the youngest member of the party, won a silver medal for kick-boxing in the under-10 division.

“Our group had trained twice a day since December and three times a day during the holidays,” said Melissa Mackey-Huriwai.

She has been Gisborne ROA’s chief instructor since 2021. She had the club’s founder, her father Taka Mackey NZOM, as her assistant coach in Thailand.

“They put in the hard yards, so the outcome was a reward for their hard work.”