Strichen kickboxer Eilidh Craib is gearing up for the biggest fight of her life as she looks to claim a first European title.
Craib, 17, is taking on French champion Camille Oukoukes on April 20 as part of the Apex Fight Series at Fraserburgh Leisure Centre, which has been organised by the Satorishido Martial Arts group.
The British, Scottish and Celtic champion goes into the bout having only ever lost once before, which was against someone six years her senior.
Craib is hoping to maintain that record by adding a new belt to her collection, as the teen fighter said: “I’m feeling good about it, but I am a bit nervous.
“It feels really good because I have worked hard for it. I started the sport when I was in in primary six at school, but have been doing it competitively over the last couple of years.”
To win the European title would be the result of a lot of hard work, with Craib currently training in Fraserburgh six days a week.
Craib added: “It would be amazing – I don’t really know what else to say. It would make all the training worth it.
“It is a lot of work, especially when you are coming up to a fight. It can be hard – doing things like all the beach runs, but you need to do it to get ready and then hopefully to make it all worthwhile.”
Fraserburgh fight night important for area and the sport
Craib’s coach Shane Weir has worked with the kickboxer for the last eight years and believes she has what it takes to excel at the top of their sport.
He said: “Eilidh is phenomenal. She has got the mindset where she has got to be the best at everything she does.
“It is not just in kickboxing, but in everything she does. With her schoolwork and exams, she is always aiming to get A’s in all her subjects.
“This is the biggest fight she has competed in and it’s the biggest fight I’ve been involved in. It is the first time in around 15 years that someone in Aberdeenshire has competed for this title.”
The Apex Fight Series will also see other local athletes take to ring as Satorishido fighters have teamed up with Inverness club HMAC and Aberdeen club AKKG.
Weir added: “It’s hugely important for the area, but for the sport as well. There is only one other place in Scotland that has done something like it and that is down in Glasgow.
“They took a few teams and brought them together and that is what I have done up here.
“We will have three clubs working together and helping each other get better and better. It’s only going to help progress each team and that will in turn help progress the sport as a whole.”
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