At The World Games 2022 IFMA not only honors the combative competition, but also the traditional performances that are so richly intertwined in the art and sport of muaythai.
Known as the Wai Khru Ram Muay, the wai is a traditional Thai greeting and action of bringing the palms together at the heart center and the bowing of the head as a sign of respect. Khru is the Thai word for ‘teacher’. Ram is the Thai word for dancing in classical style, and muay means ‘boxing’. The full term is translated as a ‘war-dance saluting the teacher’, but it is generally shortened either to wai khru or ram muay. The ram muay shows respect and gratitude to the athlete’s teacher, parents, and ancestors. In the days when boxers fought in front of the royalty, the ram muay also paid respect to the king.
At The 2022 World Games, The Best Wai Khru of the event was given to Janet Garcia Borbon from the USA. Congratulations Janet on not only winning bronze in the tournament but for embodying the tradition and spirit of muaythai throughout the TWG2022!
