Albania gets first female boxer - 19th February 2021

Albanian boxer Elisidita Selaj took up boxing at 15. Her current goal is to compete in the Tokyo Olympics.

Boxing has only recently been accepted as a sport in Albania. It had been banned since the 1960s for being too violent. Although Albania now has approximately 300 competitive boxers, until Selaj came on the scene, they had all been men.

Selaj’s interest in boxing began during school. She trained every day but faced resistance from her family, who were unsure whether boxing was suitable for a girl.

In need of a trainer, Selaj approached 9-time Albanian champion, Jetmir Kuci. Initially, he refused, but after much persuasion he took Selaj on.

She’s received numerous trophies for victories in competitions, and so has gained acceptance from her family and other boxers.

Amateur boxer Ertan Kraja trains alongside Selaj.

Kraja: "At first I was afraid to fight a girl, afraid to hit her too hard but after seeing Elsidita's strength, her training, I got used to it – it's like fighting a man."

Selaj now faces the challenge of qualifying for the Olympics. However, she knows that her heart is in it.

Selaj: "In the beginning for me, boxing was an impossible love that I could never imagine, but now faced with the results, with my will to continue, I think that today boxing is a possible love that belongs entirely to me."