Sadly, it took a family tragedy to help Madeline Benson discover her passion.
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“My uncle died and we’re a small family, so it it was a big loss,” the 23-year-old said.
“It really knocked us because my grandfather had died not all the much earlier.
“So I went to the boxing gym just to take my frustrations out.”
She punched the bag, again and again … harder, faster … it was therapy.
Six months later she had dropped 17 kilos, had stopped eating junk food, was training religiously and had put an end to parties.
The obvious next step was to step into the ring.
That was a couple of years ago now and she’s a committed fighter in the 64 kilogram division.
“I train twice a day every day, no shortcuts … sometimes 90 minutes, sometimes two-and-a-half hours. I do everything my coach has asked. There’s no other way. It's too hard a game to do it half-hearted.”
Madeline, of Cessnock, fights out of Ken Lantry’s gym at Weston, one of about five or six fighters there.
By her own reckoning Madeline’s record isn’t great. She’s had about 20 fights including exhibitions, and her record is “about 50/50”.
But she’s okay with that.
“For me it’s about getting better each time,” she explained. “And that means choosing better fighters to go up against.
“So, if I’ve had 10 fights and lose a split decision against a person who has had 30 or 40 fights, I’m happy with that.”
Certainly the progress is there: she has been invited to Queensland next month to compete in the Australian Elite Championship. Only two fighters from each State can compete in each weight division.
Before that she fought in the NSW King of the Ring, and more recently the National Super 8 Series.
“I’ve got friends who have fought in the Olympics or Commonwealth Games … I want to keep working hard and see how far it will take me. Everyone wants to wear green and gold.”