At only 17 years old, Ishtar Mackey-Huriwai (Ngāti Porou) has been selected to represent Aotearoa New Zealand in Muay Thai, which was announced as a “demo sport” in this year’s Olympic Games in Paris.
Ishtar says it’s a goal she’s been striving towards since she was a little girl.
“I’ve been competing at the IFMA [International Federation of Muaythai Associations] world champs since I was 9, and I’m 17 now… so the pathway for competing at the Olympics is through the IFMA.
“I’m lucky to get this opportunity,” she said.
Speaking to Te Karere, her mother and kaimahi Melissa Mackey-Huriwai said it was a community effort to get Ishtar to where she is now.
“It takes a village to raise a child… so all the support we’ve been getting over the last few weeks, last few years of her dedicating to this hākinakina has been overwhelming.”
NZ Muaythai Federation president Scotty Thomson said Ishtar’s inclusion was a “dream come true” for the NZ Muay Thai team — the Black Gloves — to take part in a sport set to feature 23 other nations across the world.
“For New Zealand, this opportunity is monumental. It signifies the culmination of persistent efforts over many generations.”
Glossary
kaimahi – staff, worker
hākinakina – sport