Smilla Sundell currently reigns supreme atop ONE Championship’s women’s strawweight Muay Thai division, and she has her family to thank for helping her pursue the sport in the first place. The 19-year-old star asserted her dominance in the stacked weight bracket in her latest outing.

This was at ONE Fight Night 14 this past September by outclassing atomweight Muay Thai queen Allycia Hellen Rodrigues over five rounds to successfully defend her World Title for the first time. As she reflects on her martial arts journey, Sundell says she was intimidated entering her first gym, given that it was full of grown men.

Smilla Sundell learned her ways through her family

However, the Swedish sensation eased into it with plenty of support from her family. In an interview with ONE Championship, she spoke about her experience at Yodyut Muay Thai on the island of Koh Samui, Thailand. Here’s what she had to say.

“I was scared at first because I was a little girl, you know? But I had my family on the side, and my sister trained with me, so it got easier after, like, five minutes. We had private lessons first, and then after a few times, we also tried the group classes,” Sundell recalled. 

“You can certainly see those big guys with big muscles, which were a bit scary. But I knew I wasn’t going to fight them. I was just a tiny girl training for exercise.” Training facilities for combat sports can be unnerving places for most, but especially for beginners, as there is an idea that only the most hardcore practitioners belong. 

Sundell didn’t experience this, however. She says it was a very inclusive environment, with trainers always willing to lend a hand to those in need. That said, it always helps to have a familiar face there to learn and grow with. For “The Hurricane,” that was her sister, who she says assisted her in gaining the confidence she needed. 

Now she trains at Fairtex

“There were a lot of trainers at the gym, so they took care of everyone. It was a mix – some pros, some beginners. They may put some to the side, and then the pros [would] do their own thing on the bags while they take care of the beginners. So, that was nice and helpful,” Sundell said. “I think all new stuff is uncomfortable. For me, it was even harder sometimes, I would say. So yeah, it was uncomfortable, but I had my sister there who I would push in front of me to make her do all the stuff first, and then I would go after.”

Also Read: “She’s Got Everything” Smilla Sundell Explains Why Allycia Hellen Rodrigues Poses Her Most Formidable Challenge Yet

Sundell has come a long way since being the scared youngster training for exercise on that remote island. Her journey eventually led her to relocate to Fairtex Training Center in Pattaya, where she set about following in the footsteps of ONE Championship superstar Stamp Fairtex. Despite her family not being with her daily, the strawweight Muay Thai queen says they are still a considerable part of her motivation to succeed and continue training.

“I just want to be the best version of myself and to be able to reach all my goals by doing a thing that I love. My family’s a big support that helps me reach everything that I want, even if they’re not training with me anymore,” she said. 

Also Read: Smilla Sundell Opens Up on Her Move to Fairtex Gym, Credits Stamp Fairtex As the Key Reason