Silver success for Sian

Second-year student Siân Bamping has returned laden with silver from the World Unified Championships in Carrara, Italy.

More than 5000 athletes from 107 countries competed at the cross martial arts and combat sports event.

Siân, BSC (Hons) Human Nutrition and Dietetics, competed in the kickboxing categories and secured three second-place finishes; two in the ladies veterans (over 35s) event and one in the ladies teams, with Team WKA Scotland.       

A black belt in freestyle kickboxing, Siân competed in Tuscany with team-mates from the Punisher Kickboxing Academy (PKA) in Rutherglen, where she trains six times a week.

Siân said: “I am delighted to have won three silver medals and to have shared in the wider success of the team. I enjoy the camaraderie of kickboxing and, while it may be an individual sport, there is a team ethic training together. The four of us from PKA brought back 10 medals of the 51 won by the WKA Scotland team. The team was from all over Scotland, so we have all made new friends on the trip.”

“I took up kickboxing in 2010 to get fit and I fell in love with the sport. When I moved from Inverness to Glasgow to study, I was delighted that I could train with coaches Stuart and Amanda Lowe at PKA.”

“I try to balance my training and university work through the week. Kickboxing is a great way to de-stress, especially around exam time as it gets the blood moving. I am grateful to Pam Smith, my academic advisor and module leads for being so flexible and supportive.”