Torquay trio fight with heart

MATT WILLIAMS
OWNER, Bones MMA

Three Torquay athletes have flown the Australian flag with distinction at the WBC Amazing Muay Thai World Festival in Bangkok, navigating the highs and lows of international tournament competition as Australia heads into the final day with an impressive 26 athletes contesting gold medals.

Like surfers reading an unfamiliar break, the local trio were forced to adapt to every changing swell the tournament could throw at them, with moments of triumph, adversity and immense courage defining their campaigns.

Fresh from claiming world championship gold in Verona, Italy last year, Billy O’Brien returned to the global stage carrying high expectations.

The Torquay fighter looked every bit the defending champion in his opening contest before the tide turned dramatically.

After suffering a serious injury to his nose early in the bout, O’Brien was then dropped by a spinning back kick to the body.

His Welsh opponent proved too strong and saw off O’Brien’s late attempt to fight his way back to victory.

 

Archie Edginton endured one of the tournament’s toughest draws.

He opened with a convincing victory over Canada on Friday before backing it up with a gritty three-round win against Switzerland on Saturday.

But in the relentless rhythm unique to tournament Muay Thai, updated brackets meant Edginton was back in the ring just two hours later.

Carrying heavily bruised shins from his previous battles, he faced a dangerous American who had stopped both of his earlier opponents by knockout.

Edginton produced another fearless display, refusing to take a backward step, but ultimately fell short against the powerful American in a performance that earned enormous respect.

Still riding a perfect wave is 12-year-old Marley Williams.

Competing in the 12–13 years under-52kg advanced division, Williams delivered one of Australia’s standout performances, producing a composed three-round masterclass against a talented American opponent to book a place in this week’s gold medal bout.

Australia’s performances have once again attracted praise from organisers.

“We love having Australia as part of the show,” said the WBC event organiser.

“They’re an incredibly talented Muay Thai nation, and the contingent they’ve sent this year are absolutely world-class. Their sportsmanship is evident both inside the ring and outside the ring.”

With 26 Australians now preparing to compete for gold, the green and gold wave continues to gather momentum as the world festival reaches its conclusion in Bangkok.