Home support hailed by mixed martial arts champion

A mixed martial artist has hailed the Manx support she received after being crowned world champion at a competition more than 3,000 miles (5,000km) from her home.

Alanna Pritchard, from Ramsey, won the super-welterweight title at the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation World Championship in Uzbekistan.

The 21-year-old said everyone had been "so supportive", with even strangers in her home town stopping to praise her efforts and offer congratulations.

She said last week's amateur competition, which saw her beat Angola's Ana Fernanda in a technical knockout, had been an "intense" but "incredible experience".

Despite being confident heading into the contest, Pritchard said she was "really emotional" after winning in a technical knockout, and her friends and family were "gobsmacked" by her success.

Looking back on the moment she secured the title, she said: "I ran to my dad, we had a massive hug, and we were both like 'what's just happened?'".

She said on her return to the Isle of Man her grandparents had been excited to see the belt she had won and thought it was "ace".

She also found out people in her home town had gathered in a local pub to watch a livestream of the fight.

Pritchard, who is studying sports coaching at Liverpool John Moores University, got a taste for martial arts through Jiu-Jitsu sessions at Summit Grappling Academy on the island, formerly Gracie Barra Isle of Man, at the age of 16.

Following her recent victory, her focus has now turned to her next competition in Serbia in February.

But, but she said her sights were also set on competing in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, which is a major professional outfit within the sport, in future.

"It's a lifelong dream and it would be massive," she said.

The 21-year-old's father, Tynan Pritchard, who travelled to Uzbekistan for the competition, said that his daughter had been "unshakable" when faced with thousands of supporters in a noisy stadium.

"I know how unbelievably hard she's worked for it and she deserves it," he said.

He agreed knowing the strength of support back at home had "really helped" on the night.

"We were thousands of miles from home, and those messages from the Isle of Man made such a difference," he added.

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