From left to right: Maria Lobo (POR), Sofia Olofsson (SWE), Valeria Drozdova (RUS), Yen Li Bui (VIE)

A true constellation of Muaythai stars made the list for the 54 kg female division. Sofia Olofsson from Sweden, Maria Lobo from Portugal, Bui Yen Ly from Vietnam and the current world champion Valeriya Drozdova from Russia are all equal contenders for the gold medal and a bout among any of them will be worth a final.

Representative of Thailand Yadrung Tehiran fades among these names but still will be a fifth athlete in this weight division who would not agree to anything than gold.
Sofia Olofsson and Maria Lobo missed the last World Championships in Minsk and will definitely strive to compensate for their absence. They have their own rivalry history from the World Games 2017 where they had the first bout against each other. Sofia Olofsson won the bout and eventually gold medal.

Sofia Olofsson winning Maria Lobo in the World Games 2017

The current World Champion Valeria Drozdova from Russia is getting ready full steam for the championships as this year the competition will fierce. Valeriya won another Swedish Lindgren Knutsson Josefin in a semi-final and now it’s Sofia Olofsson who will stand for her team member and Swedish flag.
Bui Yen Ly who was a sensation in Wroclaw winning the gold medal in 51 kg division winning Thai Apasara Koson is now moving one step up into the 54 kg and will make the world championships worth the world-class Muaythai show.

Bui Yen Ly (VIE) on the podium of the World Games with Apasara Koson (THA) and Janet Todd (USA)

There are many other athletes like Rachel Kavanagh from Australia, Laura Talita da Silva Bonatto from Brazil, Aiymgul Assanova from Kazakhstan, Jessica Ng from the United States who will have a lot to prove to their coaches and first of all to themselves making the World Championships 2018 a very special event.
Every following IFMA championships widens geography of participating countries with athletes coming from different parts of the planet to enjoy competition and celebrate sport.