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| Exclusive
Interview with Chantal Mcnamara |
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In
this month MI Magazine Australian
kickboxer Lee Ladurner took
time out to speak with Chantal
McNamara of North Bay, Ontario.
Chantal is five times world
kickboxing champion and knows
what it takes to be the best.
Chantal talks about her training
regime, notable opponents and
the state of female kickboxing
today...
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| MI:
May I start by asking you where you were born
and your age? |
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| Chantal:
I was born in North Bay, Ontario, Canada on
February 25, 1971. I am 34 years old. |
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| MI:
How did you become interested in kickboxing
and why did you switch from boxing to kickboxing?
And did you always train for competition,
or when you started was it just for fitness
and self well-being? |
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Chantal:
AIt is kind of embarrassing to say but I began
studying karate at 13 years old when I saw
"The Karate Kid" movie on TV. I
thought there was something mystical about
the Martial Arts and wanted to learn
self-defense as well. The club I attending
taught both karate and
kickboxing therefore I went through the ranks
of karate but also did
kickboxing never point karate tournaments.
Up until that point I was
just training because I loved it. Kickboxing
was banned here Ontario
and when I was 21 years old I then really
wanted to compete. There was
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a
boxing match coming up that my trainer
heard about and they were trying to
fing a girl to fight another on the
card. They were to be the 1st sanctioned
amateur women's bout in Ontario and
only the second in
Canada. I took the fight in a week
and a half notice but never trained
strictly in boxing. It was a good
fight, which I thought, could have
gone either way but they gave it to
theother boxer on a split decision.
I had 6
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other amateur fights and ended up with a record
of 5 wins 2 losses
but really only ever wanted to kick-box. The
ban for professional
kickboxing in Ontario was lifted and I had
my first pro kickboxing
fight in 1994, which ended in a draw. I had
never competed in amateur
kickboxing because it was and still is illegal
in Ontario??? Figure
that one out!!! Thai and Muay Thai is also
illegal here and always has
been, that is why my fights have mostly been
above the waist, that's the
only style legal here. (Amateur Thai has just
recently become legal.) |
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| MI:
When you began training in kickboxing was
there anyone you idolised? |
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Chantal:
When I first started I didn't know of
any female fighters but a few years
later I did see a tape of Kathy Long
fighting and did aspire to be like her
one day. She was the only fight I saw
for a number of years so
I don't know if she was the best at
the time but she looked pretty good
to me!
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| MI:
Who or what influenced you to train in this
martial art and to become the best? |
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Chantal:
The drive came from within and from many
people who said women can't and shouldn't
fight. They really motivated me to push
forward and train hard.
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MI:
How have women in kickboxing and martial arts
changed since you
started? |
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When
I started there were only 2 women in
my club and then they quit so I was
the only one for a number of years.
It was difficult at time to
be in a "man's" sport"
(at that time!)! Now it seems like everybody
is
taking kickboxing, Hollywood stars to
every aerobic girl out there.
All call it kickboxing but few actually
do the real thing! |
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| MI:
What is your current fight record? |
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| Chantal:
My professional kickboxing fight record is
15 wins, 3 losses and 2 draws. |
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| MI:
Did you ever imagine you could achieve
something so prestigious as to be a
5-time world champion? |
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| Chantal:
Definitely not! I always trained hard
and had big dreams but never quite believe
it would ever come true! |
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MI:
Can
you tell us the sort of dedication you need
for this achievement
and the sacrifices you have made over the
years for your pursuit of
glory? |
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| Chantal:
I train approximately 3 and half to
four hours a day, 6 days a week for
a fight. I have neglected and lost a
few friends due to time I had to spend
on my training. I rarely went to any
clubs and I don't drink and late nights
aren't my thing (especially when I have
to train the next day!) so to some people
I guess I'm pretty boring! |
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MI:
Of all your fights in your career who has
been the toughest, and
which fight was this? |
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Chantal:
Lisa Howarth of England has been my toughest
opponent. I fought her early in my career
in Atlantic City USA and loss a unanimous
decision. I had a fight scheduled 2 weeks
later in Toronto, Canada and my opponent suddenly
backed out so my promoter called Lisa who
was still in Atlantic City to take the fight.
The second fight with her was a better performance
on my part but not good enough as she won
again by unanimous decision. She is a very
classy woman and a terrific fighter.
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MI:
When
will we see Chantal McNamara next in
the ring? And have
you thought about your retirement? |
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| Chantal:
My last fight was 2 years ago and I
haven't fought since my 15-month-old
baby girl was born. I haven't received
any calls to fight anywhere (no big
surprise as I very rarely do!) and there
have not been any events here in Toronto
since I last fought here in September
of 2002. There are a lot of problems
with the government here to put on shows
and they make it extremely difficult.
I do want another baby soon so I don't
know if I'll be fighting before then
or even after. I guess it depends on
the offer(s).......if any come up! |
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MI:
Where
would you like to see women in
kickboxing and martial arts in
the future? |
Chantal:
I think it will grow but
probably and unfortunately
never as big as men
in the sport!
MI:
And
finally Chantal, is there
anything you would like
to say to the women out
there who want to start
kickboxing/martial arts?
And for ones who want to
make it in the competition
circle?
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Chantal: Train hard,
be consistent, find a good
school with a reputation
of turning out quality fighters
and be sure that is what
you really want to do. Full
contact is certainly not
for everyone! |
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