When a woman chucks a comfy corporate job and goes kickboxing, chances are high that brows will be raised. It was no different in the case of Ann Mary Philip (40), a native of Ernakulam. Now a winner with many medals to her credit, Ann Mary had chosen not to waste time convincing the sceptics in her family. She chose her battle which was even harder and she came up trumps.

“In 2018, I was looking for classes my son Chris could join. I stumbled upon a kickboxing demo show organised by head coach Kiran VS of Sparing kickboxing centre. I got his number and immediately enrolled my son,” Ann said. After a few classes accompanying Chris, the coach encouraged Ann to join as well. “I thought, since I’m already sitting there for one to two hours, why not use the time to lose some weight?” Ann said. What started as a simple quest for fitness soon transformed into a remarkable journey.

With a background in electronics from Rajagiri College and an MBA from Pune, Ann started her career with Robert Bosch in Bangalore and later worked for several multinational companies. In 2018, she decided to take a break from her career.

“There was immense pressure from my family. Once I quit my job, they saw me as a housewife. They questioned why I wasn’t attending family functions like weddings. They even asked me why, at my age, I would want to go and fight people. I couldn’t justify it to them, but this was my battle. I had to do it,” Ann recalled.

"As the months of training went by, my stamina improved and my confidence grew," Ann said. When the coach first invited her to participate in a competition, she initially thought it was just a routine message. “I was hesitant. I kept wondering. I am 34 years old. Can I really do this? Is this my cup of tea? That doubt lingered until I won my first state championship in June 2019. That’s when everything changed,” she added.

The victory not only transformed Ann but also inspired her son, Chris. “My son wasn’t there to watch me compete, but when I came home and showed him my medal, he was overjoyed. He started taking kickboxing more seriously,” Ann said. The following year, both mother and son were selected for an international kickboxing championship in Delhi. “I won two golds at the Indian Open International Championship, and Chris won a bronze,” Ann said.

After months of intense training, adjusting their routines and diets, the mother-son duo continued to excel in various competitions, bringing home gold and bronze medals. “People even started noticing changes in my appearance. My neighbours would say that even my dressing had changed. It wasn’t just that I lost weight, but I gained body confidence. I began speaking more confidently. I thought to myself, if I can do this at my age, younger people can easily follow suit — or even do much more.”

Although she initially planned to return to her corporate job after a brief break, Ann chose to fully embrace kickboxing. “In 2024, I was the first woman fighter from Kerala to win a Muay Thai match at the traditional Bangla Stadium and the Bangtao Fight Night Kickboxing winner in Thailand. I was also the KFL Kickboxing Pro Fight Winner and won a bronze medal at the senior state boxing championship last year.”

Today, Ann is not just a kickboxing champion but also a successful entrepreneur. "My coach suggested that we open a kickboxing centre in Kakkanad, Ernakulam. So now, I manage both the administrative duties at our parent centre in YMCA and the one at Kakkanad," Ann said.

“I am also learning Jujutsu now, which takes years to master. I intend to continue pursuing my sport until I reach a point where I am no longer physically able to do so. It's never too late to follow your passions, no matter your age or background," Ann added.