At IFMA we like to say a healthy body means a healthy mind, and that’s never been more true than here at the first World University Championships for muaythai. These athletes hit muaythai pads in the gym, and then use that energy to hit the books at 71 universities.

The 98 students come from 71 universities spread across 23 countries with some studying in the same place as their team-mates. And it seems there is no predicting the subjects which muaythai athletes would find interesting to study.

Ali Aliyev from Azerbaijan is studying at the State Oil and Industrial University, while Arifkhanov Bakytzhan from Kazakhstan is at the College of Economics of Technology and Standardization of Food Production.

Economics is a big focus for the Russian team, as Maria Klimova is at the Moscow Academy of Economics and Law and Viktoriia Sidorova studies at the Saint-Petersburg State University of Economics.

They are joined in this by Rawad Alam Eddine from Lebanon, studying at the Modern University for Business and Science. His fellow athlete Mahmoud Ghandour is at the American University of Science and Technology.

From the Polish contingent Lukasz Radosz is also interested in the economy, studying at the Poznań University of Economics. His team-mate Natalia Leciejewska Poznań studies at the University of Life Sciences. From Estonia Andra Aho is studying at the Academy of Security Sciences. Her team-mate Karl Joonatan Kvell is at the Tallin University of Science.

Maksim Petkevich from Belarus is at the State Agrarian and Technical University.

Five specialist sport and physical education universities are represented here – the Physical Education Institute in Thailand, the Kyrgyz State Academy of Physical Culture and Sports, the National State University of Physical Education, Sport and Health named after P.F. Lesgaft in St Peterburg, Russia, the Chajkovskij State Institute of Physical Training also in Russia and the Belarusian State University of Physical Education.

From Malaysia Aliff Ruszi is studying at the University of Technology MARA.

Twelve students are at State Universities including Benguet State University in The Philippines, the State Uni of Kermovo and that in Omsk in Russia.

Studying sports and tourism together is another favourite topic. Four of the student athletes from Kazakhstan are studying at the Kazakh Academy of Sport and Tourism.

See full results here on IFMA muaythai    Or on the WUC Muaythai website.

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