Kickboxer Baxter on top of world rankings after first year as senior

Kickboxer Nesta Baxter with her parents and coaches, Linda and Nigel. EMN-200113-155956002

Nesta Baxter, who trains and competes out of the Evolution Martial Arts club on Spalding Road, begins 2020 as the global number one in the senior division of the women’s under-60kg category, overseen by the World Association of Kickboxing Organisations (WAKO).

She made such good progress last year that she also won her 20th British national WAKO title and represented Team Great Britain for the seventh consecutive year.

Baxter, who finds time for her kickboxing alongside her medicine and surgery studies at Newcastle University, stacked up an array of achievements in 2019.

In her weight category, she was crowned WAKO world series senior champion, WAKO world series bronze medallist and five-times British champion at junior and senior levels in the under-60kg section.

Other international achievements, all within her particular weight category, included Irish Open World Series champion, four titles at the Turkish Open World Series event, Bestfighter World Series champion and bronze medallist at Rimini in Italy, silver and bronze medallist at the European University WAKO Championships in Zagreb, Croatia, silver medallist at the WAKO British National Championships, bronze medallist at the Irish Open World Series event in Dublin, and silver and bronze medallist at the Turkish Open World Series event in Antalya.

The 19-year-old Baxter’s success followed what she described as an “up and down” year in 2018 when “lots of lessons were learned” and she felt there was “so much more to come”.

This week, she said: “I want to thank all my coaches, teammates and the people around me for their continued support.

“A special mention should go to WAKO GB, Newcastle University, Evolution Martial Arts, my mum Linda, who is also my coach, and my dad Nigel, for everything they have done.

“I am now looking forward to the next kickboxing season in 2020 when I have many goals to achieve.

“I hope to maintain my world number one ranking, to be successful at this year’s national championships and to represent Team GB at the WAKO European Senior Championships.

“However, my main goal is to become the individual WAKO world champion and to represent my country in the sport at the Olympic Games.

“Over everything, I hope to be able to inspire the next generation in not only kickboxing but also combat sports in general.”