By Kirra Livingstone
IN just his first year of professional competing, Beerwah High School year 7 student Charlie Turner has won the silver medal at the National Muay Thai tournament.
Charlie also recently won the Queensland Muay Thai title, which was also his first competitive fight.
He said he is quite happy with his achievements in the sport, and how the confidence he has gained will one day help him become a pilot.
“I remember before I did Muay Thai I was really shy and I didn’t really want to be around anyone I didn’t know well, but now I’m able to step out of my comfort zone and really enjoy life,” Charlie said.
“I did my first fight last year and I did nationals this year, it was really good to win at a state and national level, to know that my hard work and training paid off and was worth it.”
The 11-year-old has done Muay Thai for six years now, and has been training out of the Sunshine Coast Thai Boxing Centre for the past two years, where former Beerwah High student Moe Russ is one of his coaches.
Moe has helped Charlie with improving his confidence through the sport, and how to stand up to bullies. “Moe has given me methods to be able to tell them to go away, not to mess with me and it’s worked really well,” he said.
kirra@gcnews.com.au