Martine Michieletto: ‘Me, kickboxing, the World Championship, Val d’Aost’

The dialogue begins with a hypothetical period. “If I hadn’t become an athlete, I would have gone on to study. History of art and archeology have always fascinated me ”. Curiosity, abstraction, harmony. “As in the paintings of Gustav Klimt, one of the artists I appreciate the most”. After all, even combat is an art: it requires intuition, it thrives on passion. Martine Michieletto, born in 1992, told her story: Saturday 9 July she will defend the Iska world kickboxing belt against the Dutch Ella Grapperhaus (K-1, category -57 kg), in the “Antares Fight Night” card, one of the top events of the year in combat sports that gazzetta.it will broadcast live for free and exclusively from 20.30.

What do you expect from the match?
“A funny and not obvious confrontation, my opponent is tough. She is the reigning European champion, she is currently one of the best on the continent. But I’m ready, it will be a battle ”.

Like so many others experienced up to now, in an unbeaten run that has lasted since 2017.
“Nothing comes about by chance. Everything is a consequence of sacrifices, even if some moments weigh more than others. For me, one above all. On May 8, 2015 I played a full contact match in Germany against Julia Irmen. They had proposed it to me a week earlier and at a heavier weight than mine, about 10 rounds: I accepted to gain experience. For my opponent it was the last match of her career, she wanted to make a good impression before the retirement and at the press conference she said that she would knock me out, which at first I didn’t even understand because she spoke in German . She needed the translation (laughs, ed). For me it came a point defeat after a great performance, it was a turning point. ‘If I’ve managed to come close to winning in these conditions, I can do anything,’ I thought. The awareness of that meeting dragged me to the victory of the world championships in Mexico, it gave a boost to my career ”.

Game from afar.
“I approached sport as a child, with athletics. Up to 17 years, one hundred, two hundred, long jump. Projected on speed, at a certain point I changed out of boredom ”.

Starting from scratch.
“I didn’t know anything about combat sports. It all started because of a gym a stone’s throw from home in Donnas, in the Aosta Valley. After finishing athletics and spending a year without doing sports, I decided to get back on the bike and started training with maestro Manuel Bethaz, who later became my partner. Also and above all thanks to him I am the athlete of today. By learning to fight, I gained confidence ”.

Would you like to thank athletics?
“It’s a distant universe, but I think it has contributed in part to my career from the point of view of explosiveness, speed of thought”.

From the beginning he has pursued a double path, between kickboxing and Muay Thai.
“I decided not to choose, working with the same commitment on both disciplines. Even if every match has a story of its own, by now it comes naturally to me to go from one regulation to another ”.

Could there be room for mixed martial arts in your future? Maybe in Ufc …
“I like MMAs. The change has already been proposed to me in the past, but it remains a problem because in Italy it is difficult to prepare. Not so much on striking but in the fight, especially for women. If in some time you decide to try, it would be a factor not to be underestimated and to reflect on. Then, why not, I would see myself in the UFC. In my club you also do sanda, I’ve already worked on projections, it would be a great challenge “.

Winner of the first Italian gold medal at the Ifma Muay Thai World Championships, today she is one of the most prominent athletes of the promotion ONE Championship.
“These are achievements of which I am proud, costing sacrifices. Being professional means making sacrifices, in my case it was special because I took everything seriously from the beginning. I was sorry not to be able to share so many good times with friends and family, but that’s part of the game. It is a choice of life ”.

Have you ever been afraid of the ring?
“Never. Indeed, since I was a child I have always been a bit clumsy, I hurt myself on every occasion. From this point of view, in a certain sense I got used to it (laughs, ed). Now I don’t pay attention to it, I always think about the present “.

As an icon of the world of combat, have you ever encountered any prejudices?
“No, I say this with sincerity. Among other things, I am happy that women are getting closer and closer to combat sports. They are important in the construction of the personality ”.

Who is Martine Michieletto outside the ring?
“A simple person, tied to the habits of his land, the Aosta Valley. I love nature and as soon as I have a few free moments I go out for a walk with Belle, my puppy, in our mountains. We are inseparable. Then, I love Italian cuisine and music, of all kinds. But before a meeting I prefer silence, tranquility helps me find concentration “.