Nesta has International Kickboxing Success

Nesta Baxter, 17 and a local kickboxer for Evolution Martial Arts has recently represented her country at competitions in Milan, Italy and Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Over the two consequent weekends of fighting in April Nesta claimed an amazing 2x Gold, 1x Silver and 5x Bronzes.

The first weekend of the 1st and 2nd of April was the Point Fighting Cup 2017 which was held in Milan, Italy. The event is one of the top quality competitions which lots of the highly ranked fighters in attendance. After arriving on the Friday the 31st for her medical check and weigh in, the fighting didn't begin until the Saturday where Nesta, 17, would be competing in the Senior Ladies Divisions (19yrs+). Nesta was fighting in the Ladies Point Fighting -60kg category. Nesta had her first fight in the division against a strong Croatian fighter, Nesta fought exceptionally well winning in the end by a 10 point clear in the second round. Nesta was then through to the quarter final stage where she drew the 2016 Grand Champion of the Point Fighting Cup in the Ladies division, Roberta Cavallaro from Italy. Last year Nesta was beaten by Cavallaro so she was determined not to let this happen again. After the first round Nesta was down by a point but pulled it back in the second round and finished winning by four points thanks to a head kick. This put Nesta through to the semi final against a well known Hungarian fighter from the Kiraly Team called Andrea Busa. Nesta had a phenomenal fight but just missed out on a spot in the Senior finals of -60kg by 2 points. However Nesta was happy with her performance coming away with a bronze in the Senior section.

Nesta Baxter winning bronze in the Ladies -60kg Point Fighting Category.

On the Saturday night, Nesta Baxter had been selected to represent Team GB in the Junior Girls Team Event where the team can consist of 3-6 competitors. Nesta fought along side two GB fighters from Bristol, Ishana Moores and Izzy Whitmore. After making it through to the semi final the team came up against an Italian team who they beat securing the British Girls a place on the Night Show Final. In the night show they fought the Greek Team, the final was close and intense the whole way through and Nesta was put forward for the final 30 seconds where she brought the score back to one point difference, however the Greek Team maintained their lead so the GB Team finished in silver place position.

Nesta Baxter fighting in the Night Show Team Event for Team GB

Team GB Girls walking the mats before the Night Show Team Event Final.

The Sunday of the Point Fighting Cup was the day of the Junior Point Fighting divisions for Nesta where she fought in the Junior Girls -60kg Point Fighting. The fighting for Nesta started in the evening of the Sunday where her first fight was against a Greek competitor, one of the girls who was in the Team Event the previous evening. Nesta fought fantastically against the strong kicker moving her into the next round where she beat an Italian fighter. This put Nesta into the Semi Final where she came up against one of her Italian rivals Gaia Vistenin. The fight was close but ended in a 2 point difference to the Italian with Nesta settling for bronze.

Nesta Baxter in Bronze place position at the Point Fighting Cup in the Junior -60kg.

So overall Nesta had a great weekend at the Point Fighting Cup in Milan fighting for Team GB coming away with 2x Bronzes and a silver.

The following weekend after the Point Fighting Cup in Milan, Nesta Baxter then represented Team GB at the Yokoso Dutch Open 2017 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands on the weekend of the 7th and 8th of April. The Yokoso Dutch Open was part of the new Kickboxing World Series 2017 so a lot of high standard competitors were in attendance.

On the Friday Night of the 7th April it was the night of the Grand Champion Open Weight. Nesta competed in the Junior Grand Champions, after making it through to the semi final, Nesta fought against Marta Sellati a strong Italian fighter.

The start of the fight was very one sided towards the Italian however the second half of the fight saw Nesta pick her game up to bring the score back to even, however it was Sellati who won the fight and the Junior Grand Champion. This claimed Nesta's first medal of the event in Amsterdam.

Saturday the 8th of April was the main day of the Yokoso Dutch kickboxing event. On the Saturday Nesta's first discipline was in the Light Continuous, in which Nesta fought in both the -55kg and -60kg categories. Nesta fought very well and made her way into the final of both categories. In the -55kg category Nesta came up against a Dutch fighter in the final, the fight was exciting and finished with a well deserved win and gold medal in the division for Nesta.

Nesta Baxter winning her final of -55kg Light Continuous.

Then the 17 year old kickboxing athlete fought in the -60kg final where she fought a strong Austrian fighter who is currently ranked 3rd in the World rankings of the -60kg category, Corrina Weinstock. Nesta fought very well to overcome the Austrian fighter and win her second Light Continuous category and claiming her 2nd gold for Team Great Britain and her local Boston Kickboxing club Evolution Martial Arts.

Nesta Baxter with the Austrian who she fought in the final of the -60kg category

Nesta then fought in the Point Fighting divisions in again both -55kg and -60kg categories. In both of the Point Fighting divisions Nesta fought well but lost out in the semi final to an Irish and German fighter in each category settling for a well deserved two more bronze medals.

Nesta Baxter with her collection from the WAKO Yokoso Dutch Open 2017 for Evolution Martial Arts and Team GB

Overall the two weeks had been a big success for Nesta Baxter at two major international competitions. Nesta's next goal is to maintain her spot on the Great Britain Kickboxing Team for the next year and to be selected to defend her European Title in Macedonia at the start of September. Nesta would like to thank her sponsors Fogarty Filled Product Ltd and Acorn Taxis for making this all possible helping her to achieve her goals, without their help and support it wouldn’t be possible as Kickboxing is a self-funded sport.