7 minute read
WOMEN WARRIORS ACCIDENTAL FIGHTER
The Story of a Kickboxer
Tereza Cvingerová didn’t set out to be a kickboxing champion. In fact, she stumbled upon the sport almost by accident Her story isn’t one of a prodigy destined for greatness from an early age, but rather of a young woman who found her calling in the most unexpected way and turned it into a life-defining passion.
When Tereza was 14, she was like any other teenager searching for something that made her feel alive. She had tried artistic gymnastics, but it didn’t quite fit. Too tall and too strong for the delicate balance of the sport, she moved on to horse riding. But that, too, felt lacking; it was more about the horse than the rider and the money than the skill.
Frustrated, she started attending circle training sessions, something to keep her active and occupied. It was during one of these sessions that her coach, who also taught kickboxing, noticed something in her. He suggested she try the sport, perhaps seeing in her the strength and tenacity that gymnastics couldn’t quite harness.
Tereza was hesitant at first. Kickboxing was a far cry from the graceful routines she had grown accustomed to, but she gave it a shot. The first time she stepped onto the mat, gloves on, heart pounding, something inside her clicked.
“It was love at first sight,” she recalls. Kickboxing wasn’t just a sport; it was a revelation. Here was a place where her strength was an asset, where her determination mattered more than the equipment she used or the money she had. The more she trained, the more she realized this was what she had been searching for.
Tereza wasn’t content to simply practice; she wanted to compete. Just a year and a half into her training, she entered her first competition. She was nervous—her heart raced as she stepped into the ring, surrounded by competitors with far more experience. But the moment the fight started; instinct took over. Tereza fought her way to the finals, defying her expectations. She didn’t win, but finishing second in her first competition was more than she had hoped for. It was a sign of what could be.
That taste of competition lit a fire in her. Tereza trained harder, pushed herself further, and soon began competing in international tournaments. Her skills sharpened with each fight, and she earned a spot on the national team. She wasn’t just a girl who stumbled into kickboxing anymore; she was a fighter with potential.
At 18, Tereza found herself at the Junior European Championships in Macedonia, representing her country on a stage she had never imagined she’d reach. The pressure was immense, but so was her determination. She competed in light contact and kicklight disciplines, and to her amazement, she won gold in both. The victories were a testament to her hard work and the beginning of her recognition as a serious contender in the sport.
But as anyone who’s ever competed knows, success brings new challenges. With her wins came expectations both from others and from herself. Moving up to the senior level, she was no longer just a promising young fighter; she was someone to watch out for. The transition was tough, and at her first senior world championship, she didn’t perform as well as she had hoped, finishing third in kicklight. It was a hard pill to swallow for someone who had grown used to winning.
The loss at the senior world championship was more than just a defeat in the ring; it was a mental blow. For the first time, Tereza had to grapple with the reality that winning wasn’t guaranteed, no matter how hard she trained. It was a moment of reckoning, one that could have pushed her away from the sport. But instead, it became a turning point, a testament to her resilience and determination.
Tereza realized she needed to strengthen her mind and body and sought a sports psychologist. This move would shape the rest of her career. With professional guidance, she learned to manage the pressure, deal with setbacks, and, most importantly, keep pushing forward. This wasn’t just about fighting anymore; it was about mastering herself.
The following year, Tereza boldly decided to drop to a lower weight category, believing it would give her an edge. She trained harder than ever, but again, she fell short, finishing third at the European Championships. Yet, this time, she didn’t let the loss define her. She kept fighting, and a year later, she tasted victory again. She finally defeated her biggest rival in light contact, a moment of personal triumph. But in Kick light, her favored discipline, she truly shone, winning the world championship
This victory wasn’t just another title; it was a turning point. Feeling confident in her abilities, Tereza transitioned from tatami-based competitions to ring fighting, a bold and significant move that signaled her readiness to take on new challenges. But then, just as she built momentum, the COVID-19 pandemic struck.
The pandemic brought the sports world to a grinding halt. Competitions were called off, gyms shuttered, and uncertainty loomed large. For Tereza, it was a time of frustration and introspection. With no fights on the horizon, she honed her conditioning and mental fortitude, knowing that when the world reopened, she had to be ready. When competitions resumed in 2021, Tereza wasted no time.
She made her professional debut in K1, winning her first fight and becoming the international champion of Poland. It was a triumphant return, but there was more to come Later that year, she competed in the K1 World Championship, finishing second. This time, she competed in the +70kg category, but the fight revealed a new challenge: her opponent’s sheer size and power were difficult to overcome Tereza realized she needed to rethink her strategy, including her weight category, to continue competing at this level.
In 2022, Tereza set her sights on the European Championships, which also served as a qualification event for the European Games. This was the most enormous opportunity yet in her career, and she prepared all year for it. But the road wasn’t easy. Due to a lack of funding from her government, Tereza had to cover the costs of the trip herself, a stark reminder of the struggles athletes often faces behind the scenes.
Despite these challenges, Tereza won the championship, only to face a formidable Serbian fighter in the first round. She was eliminated in her opening fight for the first time in her career. It was a devastating blow, but Tereza had learned by now that setbacks are part of the journey. She didn’t give up; instead, she looked forward, her eyes on the next challenge.
In 2023, Tereza entered the World Championship in full contact with a sense of purpose. She fought her way to the final, only to face her old nemesis from Norway, a fighter she had never beaten. The match was intense, a culmination of years of rivalry. Tereza fought with everything she had, but once again, she fell short, losing in the final It was a tough loss, but Tereza didn’t let it break her spirit. She returned to K1, where she won two world cups and one European cup in quick succession. These victories were sweet but also a prelude to something bigger. The most important event on her horizon was the European Championship in November, where she hoped to qualify for the 2025 World Games in China, a dream she had been chasing for years.
Tereza Cvingerová’s story is far from over. It’s a story of a young woman who found her passion by accident, who has faced setbacks and disappointments but has never stopped fighting She isn’t a global superstar or a household name, but she’s a fighter in every sense. Her journey in kickboxing is one of grit, resilience, and the relentless pursuit of a dream. As she prepares for her next challenge, one thing is clear: Tereza is a fighter, and her story is one worth following, punch by punch, victory by victory.
