MIT student wins national women’s boxing title
Fa’asu Loia is fighting her way to the top of NZ women’s boxing. The 19-year-old MIT student has just won the Elite Women Under 64 kg title at the New Zealand Boxing Nationals.
“I was so surprised I won,” she says. “In the last round, my coach said “show me you really want this”, so I had to show him. I had to do my best.”
“I just had fun. My opponent was an inside fighter, she was aggressive, so I had to box smart and move around. You can’t just stand there or you’ll get hit.”
The win last weekend is the first step for Fa’asu into the international boxing ring.
“I want to win the Olympics,” she says. “That’s my main goal for boxing; I want to reach the top. I won’t stop until I get there.”
“I train every day. If I had the choice, I’d train all the day. I love training.”
Fa’asu balances her grueling training schedule with full-time study toward a Bachelor of Applied Sport and Exercise Science at MIT, and ended last semester as the top student in her class.
She’s working towards a career as a PE teacher, and working with young people, while continuing competitive boxing – “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to give up on boxing.”
Michelle Parsons, MIT School of Sport Practice Leader, says that Fa’asu is an exceptional student. “She’s really quiet and modest about her achievements, but she gets straight As. We’re really proud of her.”
Fa’asu says sport helps her overcome her shyness: “I can stay quiet the whole day if I don’t know people. But when I play sport, I’ll be talkative as. It makes me feel confident. That’s when you see me.”
She was drawn into boxing through being a bell girl by her older brother. Her time watching others spar sparked an interest in stepping into the ring herself.
“When I was 14 or 15, my coach finally said “you should give it a go yourself.” A few months after, I had my first fight and I won. So I carried on boxing from there.”
“At first I sparred with boys only, because there were hardly any girls. I used to always get frustrated, because I wouldn’t get them. But then you learn from it. There are more girls now, and it’s so cool. If girls come in, I love telling them to give it a go.”
The Otahuhu College graduate now trains with Cameron Todd boxing gym in Auckland CBD, and lives in Glen Innes. She’s in her second year of the three year Bachelor of Applied Sport and Exercise Science degree at MIT’s School of Sport.
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