CATHERINE Costigan is not afraid of a challenge. Far from it – if anything, the bigger the challenge, the more she welcomes it.
She has had her share of obstacles to overcome to reach her current standing as a professional cage fighter, be it long-term injury or changing people’s perceptions towards female involvement in martial arts.
This Saturday, she will be in action at the ECFF Pure Combat Show in Norwich, England against Spanish fighter Vanessa Rico, whom she regards as a formidable opponent.
Catherine explains: “She has a black belt in judo and is a muay thai fighter. She’s quite experienced, a strong, powerful competitor, and will be a tough opponent, which is good.
“I want a tough challenge because that’s what I need if I want to become the best in the world at what I’m doing.”
Catherine’s passion for martial arts kick-started in her teenage years when she watched Bruce Lee movies with her father.
She attended kickboxing classes with Dermot McGrath, a family friend who later became her husband, and the couple now run Pankration Kickboxing Academy.
A national and European champion, she has done remarkably well just to be involved in the sport given her serious injury troubles.
“I had chronic neck pain for about eight years and the doctor didn’t spot it. I got checked again and they found I had a disc in my neck that was pushing into my spinal chord.
“If I took a bad hit or fall I ran the risk of being paralysed but then I found a top surgeon named Ashley Poynton. I went to three other surgeons but this guy was the very best.
“I didn’t go through 23 months of physio to give it up. People were telling me to retire but I said no way.”
Catherine is used to defying those who wondered why she took part in martial arts, but through her success she has convinced them that it was worthwhile.
“People’s perceptions have completely changed now. At first when I told people what I was doing their reaction was ‘why would you do that?’ but now they’re saying ‘wow, that’s amazing’.
“The girls I teach in my kickboxing classes look up to me and people can see that women can actually do this.”
Vanessa Rico beware – your opponent on Saturday has no fear. Catherine has met steep obstacles before and come out the right side of every single one of them.
