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Fighter finally gets her kicks

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Nanaimo’s Cara Andre

If Cara Andre didn't look like a rookie, it's because she wasn't, really.

The 24-year-old won her first-ever kickboxing bout on Saturday at the World Kickboxing Network's Quest for the Title 7 card at Ladysmith's Stz'uminus Community Centre.

It was a long time coming for Andre, who trained for four other bouts in the past, all of which fell through. So even though she was making her debut, she was able to bring a veteran's perspective to the ring.

"Completing it was amazing," she said. "I felt calm and organized. Right away you think of what you want to do better but I feel like I put on a good show."

No question – her three-round decision over Victoria's Josee Boyd might have been fight of the night had it not been supplanted by the evening's finale, the other women's bout.

Tendon injuries leading up to the fight meant Andre, who trains at Nanaimo's Pure Self Defence, wasn't able to work out her arms as much as she might have liked. It didn't seem to matter on Saturday – she showcased an array of punches and kicks en route to her convincing victory.

The fans loved it, but Andre was able to put all that crowd noise in the background, stay in the zone and focus on her coach's instructions. Any time Boyd let down her defences, Andre capitalized.

"I just feel glad that I was able to show that girls are just as tough and we've got just as much technique, and showcase that," she said.

Winning "makes you smile", said Andre, but she was also immediately putting it in perspective.

"I'm doing it for the journey," she said. "It's just the beginning for me … And that's a good feeling."

FIGHT FACTS … Not only a competitor, Andre is also an instructor and said kickboxing isn't just a spectator sport. "The studios are there to train and we're really a friendly environment, too," she said. "So even just for the workout it's a great experience; people can come and try it themselves." … To see a slideshow of photos and read a full report on Saturday's WKN event, please click here.

sports@nanaimobulletin.com