Mother and daughter duo Kelly and Madison Buxton have taken the world of martial arts by storm, tallying up an impressive level of championship titles between them.

But, for Kelly, the tower of accolades will never amount to the pride she feels seeing her daughter enjoying a sport that they both love.

Kelly’s journey in kickboxing began when she was aged 10, attending a local gym with her brother.

Her passion for the sport was immediate, and soon she began training for prestigious competitions.

It was 1994 when Kelly won her first European Championships, and then in ’95 she won her first World Championships. At this stage she was in her early teens, dreaming of all the success she could achieve.

Entering her adult life, Kelly began training hopeful athletes, with the plan to one day open her own premises.

“I always wanted to have my own gym, I was teaching for someone else and didn’t know if I had the nerve to go for it and do it.

“But then the gym I was working for made me redundant and I had all these students that I’d been training, and I felt guilty.

“I thought that I couldn’t close, I had all these children who loved the sport and wanted to carry it on,” she said.

Then, in 2014, Kelly opened Evolution Martial Arts, helping to strengthen the next generation of kickboxers.

Her daughter, Madison, grew up immersed in the gym culture, and was destined to become a successful athlete herself.

“Maddie started when she was 4, she used to come and emulate what I was doing, shouting exercises at all the adults.

“She gradually got into the sport and qualified for her first World Championships when she was 6. She’d been to a couple of these events and not earned much, then she started getting bronze and silver medals.

“So, for her to achieve three world titles last year meant everything. I’ve won world titles, but hers meant so much more to me,” she said.

Spending so much time together, whether that’s in the gym, on the road to competitions or at home, Kelly and Madison have formed a strong relationship, but they still believe it’s important to spend some time apart.

“Once a week she trains with my friend in Bolton, and that’s just to keep a little bit of the sport separate so she’s not just hearing my voice all the time.

“It’s nice for her to train with someone else, so she knows what they tell her is what I’m telling her as well.”

As well as training to become a successful athlete, Copley Academy student Madison helps to coach the youngsters rising in the sport.

“If she’s not helping with the kids’ classes, then she has her own little group that she teaches on a one-to-one basis.

“I think she’ll go on to open up her own gym when she leaves school, and continue to win at these big competitions,” she said.

As 2023 unfolds, the Buxton’s have some exciting plans, including aiming to qualify for the next World Championships.

Kelly aims to build the Evolution competition team, igniting the confidence within her students to attend competitions.

Qualifications for Worlds takes place in March, leaving enough time to prepare for the global event in October.

Kelly hopes to see Madison achieving greatness. After having a recent taste of success, she is more determined than ever to accomplish her goals.

Having been involved in the sport for more than 30 years, Kelly has seen transformational changes across the sport and is excited to see what the future holds.

“When I first started training there wasn’t really any women involved in martial arts, but now our club is a 50/50 split.

“It’s so nice to see an event split at the team, allowing all kinds of people to train together,” she said.

Kelly’s life revolves around sport, but she says she would encourage any woman to take up a sport.

“Even if it’s just to get out of the house and out of the daily routine, you can get into the mindset where everything becomes about the kids, but having a sport is amazing for your mental health.”

Kelly and Madison will continue to pave the way for future kickboxers, achieving greatness along the way.

Get involved in this amazing sport by getting in touch with Evolution Martial Arts, where you can email Kelly at kelly@evolutionma.co.uk.

Do you know an inspirational sporting woman in Tameside or Glossop?

Women in Sport is a weekly column which shares the incredible stories of ladies involved in sport across the area. We are always on the lookout for fresh stories to tell. To nominate someone for the column or get involved yourself, please email Katie on katie.catherall@questmedianetwork.co.uk. 

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