Ruqsana Begum

For other uses, see Ruksana Begum.
Ruqsana Begum
রুকসানা বেগম
Born (1983-10-15) 15 October 1983
Redbridge, England
Native name রুকসানা বেগম
Other names Warrior Princess
Residence Ilford, Essex, England
Nationality England English
Height 5 ft 3 in (1.60 m)
Weight 48 kg (106 lb)
Division Atomweight
Style Muay Thai kickboxing
Fighting out of Bethnal Green, Tower Hamlets, London, England
Team British Muay Thai Team
Trainer Bill Judd
Years active 2008–present
Occupation Kickboxer, Science technician
University University of Westminster
Notable club(s) KO Gym
Website www.ruqsana-begum.com

Ruqsana Begum (Bengali: রুকসানা বেগম; born 15 October 1983) is an English professional kickboxer. She is the current British female Atomweight (48–50 kg World Kickboxing Association Muay Thai champion and captain of the British Muay Thai Team. She is the only Muslim woman who is a national champion in her sport.

Early life

Ruqsana was born and brought up in Seven Kings, Ilford, Essex, England to a family of Bangladeshi origin. She is the second eldest of four children and lives at home with her family.[1] She comes from a traditional, religious family and grew up in a strict Muslim household.[2]

After studying at UzSWLU in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in 2006, Ruqsana graduated with a degree in Architecture from the University of Westminster. She was a trainee architect and was made redundant after the company she worked for made cuts.[3] She is a part-qualified architect.[4][5]

Professional kickboxing career

In 2002, at the age of 18, Ruqsana took up a kickboxing class after college.[6] She initially did it as a hobby in secret due to concerns that her family may not approve.[7] In 2006, soon after she graduated from university, she told her family that she was practising Muay Thai,[8] after she had kept it a secret from her family for almost five years.[2] In 2008, she started fighting professionally.[1][3]

In 2009, Ruqsana defeated a Malaysian opponent to win a bronze medal at the World Amateur Kickboxing Championship in Bangkok, Thailand.[3]

On 27 November 2010, in her first final, Ruqsana defeated Paige Farrington to win the British Muay Thai Atomweight Kickboxing Championship Professional title from the Duel at the Dome contest in Doncaster.[3][5] Ruqsana is the only Muslim woman who is a national champion in her sport.[9]

On 31 July 2011, Ruqsana won a gold medal at the European Club Cup Amateur Muay Thai Championship in Latvia.[4] She beat a Finnish fighter to secure her place in the final and beat a Turkish fighter in the final to be awarded gold.[10]

On 6 September 2012, Ruqsana was nominated as British Muay Thai Team Captain and won bronze at the International Federation of Muaythai Amateur (IFMA) World Championships in Saint Petersburg, Russia. On 9 September 2012, she beat Ranini Cundasawmy from Mauritius in the quarter-final, before losing her semi-final match, on 11 September 2012, against the European champion, Chyslova Liudmila, from Belarus who proceeded to win silver.[5][11][12][13][14][15]

On 13 April 2013, Ruqsana fought Silvia La Notte from Italy at the New Bingley Hall in Birmingham for the International Sport Kickboxing Association (ISKA) World Championship.[16] Although Ruqsana was leading on points, during the fourth round the fight was abandoned after she took a knock to the head.[17]

On 14 March 2015, she contested the International Sport Kickboxing Association (ISKA) Women's straw-weight world title fight[18] against French national champion, Ludivine Lasnier, at the ILEC Conference Centre in Earls Court, London but lost the title on points.[17][19] On 7 November 2015, she was due to contest the World Kickboxing Association (WKA) title against Josefine Lindgren Knutsson of Sweden in Hackney, London,[9] however, after Ruqsana suffered from a viris the fight was postponed[20] until February 2015 and rescheduled for April 23.[21]

Ruqsana trains under Bill Judd,[4][22] and currently fights out of the KO Gym in Bethnal Green, London.[6] She trains six times a week[23] for two hours each day, and during the build-up to a fight she trains twice a day.[24] She is signed up by RDX Equipment and her main sponsor is DCD Property Company.[25]

Other work

On top of her own professional commitments, Ruqsana is a personal trainer and instructor. She also works as an instructor one night a week[4] giving free after-school[1][3] Muay Thai classes every Monday at the Lions Den Gym in Chadwell Heath, London[26] for the children in the East End.[6] She also coaches ladies-only classes every Sunday.[7]

Since 2009, she has worked part-time, two days a week, as a science technician at Swanlea School in Whitechapel, London.[3][4]

She is a boxing and Muay Thai[8] coach for Fight for Peace, a charity which uses boxing as a prevention and rehabilitation model to confront the problem of child and youth participation in crime, gangs and gun violence within disadvantaged communities.[5][6][27][28] She is an ambassador for Sporting Equals, a charity who help people from ethnic minorities to access sport, whoever you are and at all levels.[29][30]

In 2015, Ruqsana created a sports hijab for non-athletes for combat fighting sports and to help more Muslim women get into combat sports.[31] She was first inspired to create the product when she saw sprinter Ruqaya Al-Ghasra struggle to wear a headscarf at the 2006 Asian Games.[32] She thought up the idea during the London 2012 Olympics when she learnt of an American athlete who was told her Islamic headscarf did not meet health and safety requirements.[33] The hijab is a fitted, breathable version of the traditional scarf worn to conceal Muslim women's hair and chests.[32] It uses a breathable fabric which is designed to fit comfortably around the head.[33] In September 2016, Begum signed with Shakir Entertainment Management in New York City.

Media appearances

In June 2011, Ruqsana was interviewed by Anwarul Hoque on BBC Asian Network.[34] In August 2014, she was interviewed by Sunny and Shay Grewal on BBC London 94.9.[35] In March 2015, she was interviewed by London Live.[19] In September of the same year, she was interviewed by Sky News.[9]

Awards and recognition

In May 2012, Ruqsana was shortlisted for the Muslim Women's in Sport Foundation Ambassador Awards for the United Kingdom Sportswoman of the Year award held at Wembley Stadium.[36][37][38][39]

In January 2012, she was named in the British Bangladeshi Power 100 for her work in education, culture and sports.[40][41] In February 2012, she won a special achievement award at the Canary Wharf Sports Awards.[42][43]

In September 2013, Ruqsana was awarded Sports Personality of the Year at the Asian Achievers Awards.[44][45]

Championships and accomplishments

Personal life

Ruqsana is a Muslim[1][29][47] and does not drink alcohol.[23] She is 5 feet 3 inches tall.[48]

In March 2012, Ruqsana met Queen Elizabeth II at Walthamstow Town Hall, during the Queen's Diamond Jubilee tour of the UK.[49][50] She was selected to be an Olympic torchbearer in recognition of her sporting achievements and community work, helping young people to engage in sports and giving them a focus in life[6] in the East London community.[51] On 21 July 2012, she carried the Olympic Torch in Greenwich, London.[52][53]

In March 2016, Ruqsana revealed her coach, Bill Judd, is terminally ill with cancer.[21]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Lennon, Patrick (25 March 2011). "Ruqsana Begum: Kicking And Dreaming". Bangladesh: The Daily Star. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  2. 1 2 Simmonds, Kadeem (24 July 2015). "'I am not someone who likes conflict, even though I fight'". Morning Star. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Munford, Colin (9 December 2010). "Ruqsana gets her kicks from sport". Iford: Ilford Recorder. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Richards, Joshua (11 August 2011). "Euro Thai-boxing champion Ruqsana Begum suffering from lack of funding". Ilford: Ilford Recorder. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Ahmed Ully, Ansar (19 September 2012). "Kick-boxer Ruqsana wins bronze". London: The Daily Star. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Buara, Elham Asaad (29 June 2012). "In conversation with…Ruqsana Begum". The Muslim News. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  7. 1 2 Flaig, Maximilian (19 February 2013). "Interview with kickboxing champ Ruqsana Begum". India Weekly. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  8. 1 2 "Ruqsana Begum". Support through Sport UK. 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  9. 1 2 3 Kelso, Paul (6 September 2015). "Video: Meet The Athlete Defying Stereotypes". Sky News. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  10. ↑ "Ruqsana and Ash bring back medals at European Championships". KO Muay Thai. 26 September 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  11. ↑ Richards, Joshua (13 September 2012). "Brilliant Begum bags bronze medal". Ilford: Ilford Recorder. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  12. ↑ Richards, Joshua (13 September 2012). "Brilliant Begum bags bronze medal". Hampstead and Highgate: Ham & High. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  13. ↑ Richards, Joshua (13 September 2012). "Brilliant Begum bags bronze medal". London: London24. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  14. ↑ "More GB Success at the Muaythai World Championships". Women Sport Report. 4 October 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  15. ↑ "More GB Success at the Muaythai World Championships". Women Sport Report. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  16. ↑ Munford, Colin (29 March 2013). "Kickboxer Ruqsana is hoping it's home sweet home for world title shot". Ilford: Ilford Recorder. Retrieved 1 May 2013.
  17. 1 2 Congregalli, Matteo (12 September 2013). "Ruqsana Begum's Fight to be a Muslim-Bangladeshi Thai Boxing Champion". Broadly. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  18. ↑ "KTMMA 3". Ring Events. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
  19. 1 2 "'It's hard for Muslim girls to get into combat sports'". London Live. 2 March 2015. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  20. ↑ "Kickboxer Ruqsana Begum fights for world title on Saturday". Sky Sports News. 3 November 2015. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  21. 1 2 Trehan, Dev (14 February 2016). "World title contender Ruqsana Begum fighting for coach and community". Sky Sports News. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
  22. ↑ Razzaq, Mahvish (4 September 2012). "Muay Thai Champion Ruqsana Begum is going for gold". Asiana TV. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  23. 1 2 Frue, Kiesha (10 June 2015). "Exclusive Interview with Ruqsana Begum". Instant e–Care. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  24. ↑ Kemble, Harry (11 June 2015). "Seven Kings boxer turns hijab-designer to get Muslim women active". Iford: Ilford Recorder. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  25. ↑ Hutchison, Finlay (19 December 2014). "End it like Begum: a British Asian woman's quest for the muay thai world title". SportsPro. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  26. ↑ Richards, Joshua (3 February 2012). "Ilford's British Muay-Thai boxing champion set for 02 Arena bout". Norwich: Eastern Daily Press. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  27. ↑ Rahman, Emdad (21 July 2012). "Sparring with the Atomweight". London: East London News. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  28. ↑ Walter, Glen (10 October 2012). "EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Ruqsana Begum – British Muay Thai Champion". FitMeNow. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  29. 1 2 "British Muay Thai Boxing champion Ruqsana Begum positive on change". Sky Sports News. 26 November 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  30. ↑ Farooq, Aisha (6 June 2015). "Top Asian Women in Sport". DESIblitz. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  31. ↑ "East End boxing champion launches sports hijab". The Independent. 24 February 2015. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
  32. 1 2 Alwakeel, Ramzy (16 June 2015). "Thai boxing champion designs 'sports hijab' to encourage Muslim schoolgirls to get active". London: London Evening Standard. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  33. 1 2 Kemble, Harry (11 June 2015). "Seven Kings boxer turns hijab-designer to get Muslim women active". Iford: Ilford Recorder. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  34. ↑ "Kickboxer Ruqsana Begum". BBC Asian Network. 9 June 2011. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  35. ↑ "Kickboxer Ruqsana Begum". BBC London 94.9. 3 August 2014. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  36. ↑ "Shortlist". Muslim Women's Sport Foundation. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  37. ↑ "(UK) MWSF announce Ambassador Awards shortlist". Kick It Out. 13 April 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  38. ↑ "Muslim Women's awards". The FA. 2 May 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  39. ↑ Patel, Holly (11 April 2012). "Awards: First Ambassador Awards night for Muslim women". Sport Sister. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  40. ↑ Sam-Daliri, Nadia (26 January 2012). "East End Bangladeshis reach "Power 100" list". Norwich: Eastern Daily Press. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  41. ↑ "British Atomweight Muay-Thai boxing champion – Ruqsana Begum". British Bangladeshi Power 100. 9 March 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  42. ↑ "O'Brien gives back". West Ham United. 18 February 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  43. ↑ Hayes, Simon (3 February 2012). "Table tennis star Ashley wins Canary Wharf award". London: Wharf. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  44. ↑ "Asian Achievers Award 2013". Asian Achievers Award 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
  45. ↑ Pandit, Vishal (16 September 2013). "The Asian Achievers Awards 2013 Highlights". DESIblitz. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
  46. 1 2 3 4 "Ruqsana Begum Awakening Profile". Awakeningfighters.com. Retrieved 18 February 2016.
  47. ↑ "Kickboxer Ruqsana Begum". BBC London 94.9. 17 September 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
  48. ↑ Myers, Rebecca (13 September 2015). "Meet the 'little princess' who broke her coach's ribs". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  49. ↑ "Diamond Jubilee: Queen visits three London boroughs". BBC News. 29 March 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  50. ↑ Bullen, Annie (2012). The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Year: A Royal Souvenir. The History Press. p. 48. ISBN 978-1841654096.
  51. ↑ "Ruqsana Begum". London 20120. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  52. ↑ "Olympic Torch Relay through Royal Greenwich". Royal Borough of Greenwich. 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  53. ↑ "Torch Relay through Royal Greenwich". Royal Borough of Greenwich. 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2012.

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