CLEARWATER, Fla. — This month, a nine-year-old girl from Clearwater is flying all the way to Thailand to compete against the best of the best when it comes to Muay Thai.
Don’t let the unicorn shin pads and sparkling manicure fool you, Gabrianna Mansfield is a menace in the ring when it comes to Muay Thai.
WATCH: Clearwater girl travels to Thailand to compete in Muay Thai festival
“I can punch people, I can kick,” said Gabrianna.
Standing at just 4’2 and weighing only 58 pounds, Gabrianna will be the smallest competitor at this month’s Amazing Muay Thai Festival in Bangkok.
Gabriana has been training in her hometown of Clearwater since she was four years old.
“I just stepped in and said, ‘wow this is pretty fun,’ and I kept doing it until now,” said Gabrianna. “I get really excited and then I’m like, ‘I have to practice this, this and this,’ and then I practice those and it helps me.”
“Fully focused, committed, she has goals, she one day wants to become a professional fighter, she one day wants to become an instructor,” said coach Matt McCusker. “It’s very inspiring, I mean I have adults that aren’t even competing who are inspired by this little girl’s ambitions and what she wants to do, and what she’s accomplished so far.”
Gabrianna’s most recent accomplishment was being named to Team USA. She will be stepping into the ring to face the best of the best in her weight class.
More than 50 countries are scheduled to participate. Gabrianna says the only size that matters is the size of her heart.
“I normally I go, ‘ok I got this,’ I know they are bigger than me and I know I can still fight them and I’m going to win this,” said Gabrianna.
Bradenton community responds after 20-year-old volleyball star dies from disease that affects 2 in a million
The 20-year-old IMG Academy volleyball star and Under Armour All-American died Sept. 16 after a three-month battle with the rare blood disorder — even though doctors had found her a 100% bone marrow match, her mother, Tanya Mack tells Tampa Bay 28 reporter Haley Zarcone.
