(JAN 31) Recently I was able to interview some of the world’s best amateur boxers who hail from Canada. This list included Ariane Fortin of Quebec in addition to Mary Spencer, Mandy Bujold and Jacqueline Park of Ontario. All four women are multi time national champions and have represented Canada very successfully in all regions of the globe.

Ariane Fortin has been on the Canadian National Team for over six years now and fights at the 70kg weight class. Fortin has had over 95 fights, counting a few demos and has only lost 7 times. Ariane got into boxing as a teenager after watching the movie Girlfight. Fortin thought it looked like fun and joined two of her friends at the gym one day and hasn’t looked back since. Now she competes for the adrenaline rush involved and the love of the lifestyle that surrounds the sport.

Fortin has started off 2009 with a bang as she successfully defended her place on the Canadian National Team at the recent National Championships held from January 21st to 25th in Trois Rivieres, Quebec with an impressive third round stoppage of Manitoba’s provincial champion Angela Anderson.

She capped off 2008 with the honour of winning a gold medal for the second time at the World Championships held in Ningbo City, China in late November. Fortin also won the gold medal at the 2006 World Championships held in India and a silver medal at the 2005 World Championships held in Russia.

Fortin is a very humble person and a great ambassador of the sport. She was eager to point out how impressed she was with Elena Vystropova of Russia and silver medallist Yang Ting Ting of China. Fortin stated that “both of them were good technically, physically strong and they kept coming back until the very end.”

Ariane had nothing but praise for her fellow Canadian teammates in China: “A few of them have been on the team for a while now so we have become really good friends through the years. I got to say that we had an amazing team in China. Everybody was very positive, and supporting and even the girls who lost earlier on in the tournament were staying with the team and encouraging the ones who were still competing. They made this tournament an even better experience!”

When asked on her thoughts of the World Championship’s organization Fortin stated: “I really like my experience in China. The Chinese people were so nice to us and very polite and honestly it was very well organised! Just the fact that they placed a scale in every boxer’s room showed how they cared about the athletes.”

Fortin credits much of her success to coach Mike Moffa of the Plaza Underdog boxing club. She has been with Mike for over two years and his knowledge and strategy has paid huge dividends. Ariane is currently in school part time completing her degree in editing and is involved in other sports as well such as soccer.

Ariane is very happy with how women’s amateur boxing has progressed over the past decade. She stated: “I think the skill level has increased a lot and for sure it will continue to do so in years to come, which is great! I’m so glad that it’s now becoming 4 rounds for women. I’m sure that will help increase the skill level and people will see the quality of women boxing.”

Fortin is convinced women’s boxing has earned and deserves its place at the 2012 Summer Olympics that will be held in London, UK. When asked if she was considering turning pro Ariane stated “for sure! I want to do some professional boxing but, to me, a medal at the Olympics is much more valuable than any professional belt.”

It is attitudes like Ariane’s that prove that women belong in the Olympic ring and it shows where hard work and dedication can bring you in this sport. I would like to thank Ariane for taking the time to complete this interview and wish her all the best in 2009 and continued success in the future.

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