Girls sometimes outnumber boys in Estonian Muay Thai gyms

Girls sometimes outnumber boys in Estonian Muay Thai gyms, fighter and coach Astrid Johanna Grents told ERR’s Terevisioon, as the sport grows in popularity in Estonia.

Grents, whose fighting name is Asteroid, said friends and family gave her the nickname, possibly because she appeared on the boxing scene suddenly and quickly made an impact. She took up Muay Thai 12 years ago while looking for a new hobby. Her standout achievement was winning gold at the 2023 European Games. She has also practised boxing and kickboxing, but usually competes in Muay Thai.

When Grents started, she said, very few girls boxed. Now, she sometimes sees more girls than boys at training, and says they can be more disciplined about attending every day.

Grents said Muay Thai has helped build her confidence and gives her the ability to defend herself. Training also clears her head and requires her to focus on the present, she said, adding that this is especially valuable in today’s phone-focused world.

On Saturday, Grents is due to fight for a World Boxing Council international title. If she wins, she will have the opportunity to compete for a world championship belt.