RAVYN SIMPSON: Muay Thai titleholder. Pictures by Liam Clayton
MARTIAL ARTS
Ravyn Simpson was a champion at 13.
A member of Rangataua o Aotearoa, a martial arts club whose instructors and students use the Maori language, Ravyn — who turned 14 on June 1 — is the Aotearoa Muay Thai Association flyweight champion.
Muay Thai is known as the art of eight limbs: fists, elbows, knees, shins.
Ravyn won the under-14 girls’ flyweight title at the Tihipuke Muay Thai (TMT) Fight Night at the TMT gym in Hamilton, with 13 fighters competing. The bouts were held over five two-minute rounds.
Ravyn defeated Ashley Nesbitt of Auckland’s City Kickboxing to claim the crown.
Ravyn’s win came against an opponent who had won gold medals in judo, wrestling and karate.
Ravyn said: “It can be nerve-racking but I try to remain calm and block out distractions before a fight — stay in my own lane. In the first round, I’m cautious. I want to see what an opponent’s counters are — I become more aggressive and the pace picks up through the rounds.”
On the big night in Hamilton, Ravyn’s bout with Nesbitt was the ninth of the evening.
“It was the first time I’d competed for a New Zealand title. I knew it was going to be close on the judges’ scorecards, but I still thought I’d won it.”
Two of the three judges gave Ravyn the win; the third gave it to her opponent.
Ravyn’s ROA coach, Melissa Mackey-Huriwai, was thrilled with the performance. Ravyn had winning the bout as a season-goal in her 10-week preparation for the event. Originally she had been scheduled to fight Fern Nixon (from Taupo’s Rhythm of Combat gym) before Nixon withdrew. Nixon had beaten Nesbitt to become the first holder of the youth female title last year.
Ravyn, a second-generation member of ROA, was in Year 2 at Manutuke School when she took up the sport seven years ago. Her parents played representative sport: John, rugby league for Gisborne-East Coast and Northern Districts; Alice, netball for Poverty Bay.
Rayvn has as an uncle two-test All Black centre Victor Simpson, and as an aunt former Black Ferns captain and second-five eighth Lenadeen Simpson.
Ravyn has travelled to Thailand twice, winning bronze in Muay Thai in 2017 and gold in 2018. She has also competed in Turkey and Australia.
Ravyn trains for two hours a day, five days a week. Mondays and Wednesdays are devoted to punching and countering blows. On Tuesdays and Thursdays the focus is on kick-fit (kicking, and improving fitness and the strength to kick). Ravyn also assists with the training of youngsters on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Friday is reserved for sparring.
Competitors wear gloves and shin pads, with headgear compulsory for young participants.
Fitness is a must, as indispensable as the values of the sport. To thrive, a person needs to “live” these values — those practised and inculcated by Melissa Mackey-Huriwai, Taka Mackey and Dan Spears, among others.
Spears’ assistance in the 10 weeks leading up to the TMT Fight Night on April 24 was invaluable.
Ravyn said: “In ROA, we have many values — three of the most important are: respect, honour and discipline.”
Ravyn’s next big event is the Muay Thai National and Oceania Championships, to be held at the Tallebudgera Leisure Centre in Palm Beach, Queensland, from December 3 to 5.