WBC Muay Thai Youth World Games.
Calgary, Alberta Canada
Winsport arena
August 12th- 14th 2022
The first WBC Muay Thai youth world games were a massive success! Over 180 youth athletes ages 10-17 from 20 countries traveled to Canada to battle it out in the Muay Thai ring for the coveted bronze, silver, and Gold medals.
Team USA selected athletes through various processes that include tournament wins, established fight records, and outstanding reputations of some athletes in national and international competitions. 26 American athletes were chosen to wear the Stars and Stripes from all over the United States.
American Top Team -Tracy’s own Mayleen Mercado 11 years old, was asked to travel to San Diego California in May to Compete and take part in a selection process in the first WBC (World Boxing Council) Muay Thai Youth Experience. She went 3-0 in her fights and was selected to represent Team USA in the female under 78 lbs division. Kru Shannon Albracht was also selected as one of the 16 Team USA Muay Thai coaches.
The Team came together for the first time on Wednesday, August 11th. Meeting in a park outside the team hotel in Calgary. Most athletes and coaches had never met before and only knew each other through social media and fighting reputations.
It didn’t take long for the team to get acquainted and start working together with all of the coaches. They split into groups by age and weight and ran through various fight drills, pad work, and clinching. The team was only able to get three practices in before it was time to go to the opening ceremony on Friday.
All of the athletes and coaches as well as all of the team gear packed into a school bus that arrived each day to carry them to the arena. As uncomfortable as it may sound, this was an amazing team-building experience.
The team “Chant” was learned and practiced over and over to build Spirits high.
“1-2-3,
Who are we?
USA!
United Strong!
USA!
Fight Hard!
USA!
Game On!
USA!
USA !
USA! “
At the opening ceremony each county lined up in their Team Colors (custom tracksuits in the national flag style of each nation) and each team took photos of each other as well as the event organizers.
The world's greatest Muay Thai fighter of all time Saenchai was in attendance as he was a WBC Muay Thai Champion and was coaching Team Thailand!
Saturday was fight day number one. All quarter-final and semi-final matches were held in two rings in the center of the Olympic Training Center’s Hockey Rink. What an amazing facility
Those athletes who advanced from Saturday’s fights went on to fight for Gold and silver on Sunday as well as many matches for the bronze medal.
Team USA’s final medal count was:
26 athletes
20 medals
9 Gold
3 Silver
8 Bronze
Mayleen took home the silver after a hard-fought fight Against Italy that was controversial as she appeared to outscore her opponent with a good margin. However, the Judes didn’t see it that way.
This was her first international team event and the experience will only make her even better.
