Exactly 5 months post surgery, Valencia clinches three golds and one silver medal at the inaugural Uzbekistan World Cup
Tashkent, 30 September 2024 – A loud cry filled the arena as Valencia executed a double-hand downward cross strike with her kamas to finish her fourth and final category of the tournament. As she held her stance to receive her score, the deafening silence intensified the palpable tension in the air. And when she realised she had won gold, a wave of relief swept over her.
A freak accident during a training session in April saw Valencia sustain a Lisfranc injury, a rare form of foot injury. She tore her Lisfranc ligament, which connects the medial cuneiform to the second metatarsal, a small but crucial ligament vital to weightbearing. With the ligament torn, standing became intolerable and she eventually succumbed to commuting by wheelchair. An orthopaedic confirmed her worst fears for what was originally diagnosed as an ‘ankle sprain’, requiring surgery.
Valencia recounts, “I remember feeling like my whole world just collapsed when I was told that I needed surgery if I wanted to ever compete again. I couldn’t believe it. I was in shock and crying, fighting against surgery because I was gearing up for a competition the next month. I knew surgery would set me back by months, if not years, seeing that my injury was so rare and there was so little physiotherapy literature on it."
"I was given 15 minutes to decide because it was either surgery in 3 weeks, or no surgery with long term implications of arthritis. At the same time, I was dealing with the death of my godparents who passed away one month from each other in March. It was just tragedy one after another. I was absolutely crushed.”
From the date of the surgery, there would be a 5-month window to the last kickboxing world cup of the year, the Uzbekistan World Cup. “The top doctor and physio actually told me it would be impossible to compete five months post-op. People were telling me I was crazy, and most were skeptical. I felt a fire burn within my soul. I told myself ‘The more people say it’s impossible, the more I will prove them wrong’."
"The support from my family and coach were my main pillars of support. I did my rehab at least twice a day for 6 days and hit the pool twice a week from 3-weeks post-op. It was the most grueling 5 months I’ve ever experienced. But it was all worth it.”
President of Kickboxing Federation of Singapore (KFS) remarks, “What Valencia has done is truly remarkable. She really did overcome the impossible, against all odds. The entire surgery ordeal transformed her in the most powerful way. I see a new level of hunger in her eyes when she competes. She’s gone through every athlete’s nightmare and come out on top in the most unbelievable manner. It inspires me deeply. I truly believe her story will inspire many and give hope to those in need.”
KFS Coach Brian Beck shares, “It’s crazy Valencia’s had to start all over twice. Once when she first started learning, second when she came off crutches post-surgery. Not everyone can bounce back from surgery but Valencia has not only shown us that, she’s showed us the way to bounce back even stronger. She’s become so much more determined to improve and get better. Her journey can be a blueprint for athletes in similar situations, a ray of hope amidst the darkness. I am absolutely proud of her, it’s her day to shine.”
The spotlight is shared with Kickboxing compatriots Alexavier Koh and Shaikh Abdullah as they earned Singapore’s first world cup medals in the sparring disciplines, clinching a total of 6 medals, 2 silver and 4 bronze. They fought a whopping 25 fights in total over the 5-day tournament to secure the silverware and earn precious ranking points.
Valencia’s 3 golds and 1 silver come exactly 1 year after her first world cup tournament in Jesolo, Italy, where she won 2 golds and 2 silvers. The inaugural Uzbekistan World Cup, held in its capital Tashkent from 24 to 29 September 2024 saw close to 2,200 athletes from 40 nations participate.
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