A THREE-TIME world kickboxing champion from Llanelli is travelling to Spain this week to defend her title — and she's just 13.

Tennessee Randall, who lives in Bynea and trains at Xandao Kickboxing Club, is representing Wales in the World Kickboxing Council tournament this week in Cadiz, Spain, facing opposition from across the globe.

The Coedcae School pupil is part of Wales's eight-strong team — one of the smallest competing — and currently holds the title after winning gold in her weight group at last year's WKC championships. She also won two gold medals at the Womma world titles in August.

Mum Tracy said: "It's unbelievable — you would never think to look at her she's a world champion kickboxer.

"I started sending my two girls to the sessions when Tennessee was seven because she was being bullied a bit and I didn't like it.

"For most kids that start martial arts, it's through being bullied. It's always the same story."

And Tracy, whose husband former Llanelli footballer Leigh was also a kickboxing world champion himself, said Tennessee was not what you might expect from a world-beating fighter.

Disciplined

"She hasn't got a bad bone in her body," she said.

"The thing about martial arts is not about people who are thugs, it's about people that have control and are very disciplined.

Tracy said it was not until Tennessee started going to Xandao Kickboxing Club in Llanelli that she and Leigh realised how good she could be.

"We used to take her and drop her off and she wasn't enjoying it, but then she started going to Xandao when she was 10," said Tracy.

"She came home one day and said she would be representing Wales — that's when we realised how fantastic she is and we've never missed a session since."

Tennessee, who is also captain of her school hockey team, had the chance to compete with dad Leigh when they both represented Wales at last year's championships.

Tracy said: "It was so special to have a father and daughter fighting for Wales.

"I said to Leigh, when you had a little girl I bet you never imagined you would be kickboxing together. She's followed in his footsteps."

Tennessee's boxing coach Nigel Haddock, who runs Gwendraeth Valley boxing gym in Trimsaran where she also trains, said he was now trying to get her to take up tae kwon do.

"Kickboxing isn't an Olympic sport, but tae kwon do is, so we're hoping she will move over to that," he said.

"We are looking at the Olympics after next year.

"She's fantastic — when I'm in the ring with her I have to keep my hands up at all times."

The tournament starts on Tuesday, with the final on Saturday next week.