A Black nine-year-old girl from Southeast D.C. has made her family and friends back home very proud after returning from a major victory at the Junior Olympics in Kansas.
According to NBC Washington, Westia Russell, also known as ” Princess Mama” in the ring, took home a medal at the Boxing National Junior Olympics.
Westia Russell has been boxing since she was in kindergarten. She is now in the fifth grade and currently trains at the NoXcuse boxing gym in Prince George’s County five nights a week.
“I get to beat people up without getting in trouble,” Russell said.
Westia Russell’s mom, who is a former boxer, said she wasn’t surprised when her daughter picked up the sport.
“She told me that’s what she wanted to do,” she said. “She could’ve said she wanted to do anything: cheer, soccer, dance. She chose boxing.”
Lamont Roach Sr., Russell’s coach at NoXcuse gym, called her a “little beast.”
“Man, I’m so proud of her,” Roach said. “When she first walked in at like five or six-years-old, she had her mother’s spirit on her, and I knew she was going to be a fighter.”
Princess Mama said she hopes to make the Olympic team in boxing in the future. I believe in her.
