Specs: 1/15s, 70.0mm, f/4.5, ISO: 400
Rebecca Walthall, aka Bex, at Taupo camp shortly before the 2006 Junior World Champs needs to loose a few kilos to make her preferred division. Coach Dave Ballard gives her a challenge to loose as much weight as she can in an hour. It's hard to watch... she's got extra layers of clothing on and is running to the other side of the hall and back and then doing either 10 punches or 10 kicks and the repeating it endlessly. Coach and others yelling at her, she's determined but in real pain virtually crying her heart out. I feel bad taking pictures, take a few then wander off to leave her alone.
Specs: 1/60s, 70.0mm, f/4.5, ISO: 800
What a big heart she has... she never gave up. After an hour they weighted her and she was still miles away from the target so it was decided to spare her the drama and move her up a division.
And she want on to the finals of the World Champs. Here's Gwyn Brown's commentary....
Bex vs Argentina
This is it, the final. The boys start Bex off with the Haka to get her going. The match starts slow, Bex first points with turning, then Argentina turning, then Bex 3 pointer, then Argentina scores with turning and punch, very even, lots of single techniques, both fighters cautious, Bex sidekick, Argentina falls but gets up quickly, round ends. They are even from what I can see. Round 2, slow start, but the NZ team support is huge, Bex scores with turning, Argentina with side, lots of bouncing, still single technique. I don’t think Bex has done enough to win, but neither has Argentina. Round ends. Judges cards are in, and the winner is…Draw! Both get back into it straight away, lots more bouncing, not much action, both so cautious now, Bex scores with turning, Argentina turning, a few more kicks here and there, no punching flurry’s, bout ends. Score cards are collected, I think Bex was ahead slightly, and the winner is…Draw again! The crowd goes wild, and the flags come out. All judges stand and I can see Mark screaming in Bex’s ear. The Argentinean coach is doing the same. They come out and start, bouncing…bouncing…bouncing…and more of the same for nearly 1 ½ minutes, not a technique thrown, both know one wrong move in sudden death and it’s all over. Bex is warned for turning away, then warned again but I can’t for the life of me remember what it was for, so excited I forgot to write notes! Then Bex scores!! With a side kick, Ref stops the match, the NZ team go wild…but no judge raises their flag…why I don’t know, it was a clean point and in any other match would have counted. Then horror, Bex is forced out of the ring, and incurs her 3rd warning, looses a point and the match is suddenly over. Bex is distraught, the team cheer her, but she is upset, as we all are I guess. But you know, she did win silver, and lost the match on warnings. Awesome Rebecca.
Images of the fight (I think some of these have not been published before):
