When Push Comes To Shove, Louisa, 15, Is Britain's Youngest Female Sumo Star

When Push Comes To Shove, Louisa, 15, Is Britain's Youngest Female Sumo Star
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Louisa Bull is enough to make gigantic men in nappies weep. For she is Britain's youngest female sumo wrestler who takes on women more than twice her size.

Fifteen-year-old Louisa is already the British female 80 kilos (12.5st) champion weighing in at 11st.

Louisa, from Derby, said: "People don't believe me at first when I tell them I'm a sumo wrestler because they think sumos have to be massive and extremely strong.

"When I first started sumo I had a lot of boys saying I wasn't going to get anywhere because I was a girl.

"But I took them on in the sumo ring and sometimes I beat them - so they're not as sure of themselves any more.

"I think a lot of people think sumo is just about two fat guys pushing each other out of the ring.

"My friends and the boys at school also used to think it was weird and they'd make a few jokes about it but now they think it's great and I even teach them moves."

And although she says she has come away from some fights with twisted ankles and even a bloody nose, she insists she's just like any other girl.

"I like to wear make-up and lots of bright and pretty clothes - even though I like to beat people up, I still like to look good," she said.

"If I've not got my training clothes on I'm just a normal girl with a bit of an edge."

Louisa, the eldest of five children, had her first taste of fighting sports at just six years old after watching dad, Martin, 35, who is a keen boxer as well as a sumo wrestler.

By the age of 13 she had started at a local sumo gym, run by Steve Pateman, founder of the British Sumo Federation. Now she trains there three times a week for competitions and has to eat a strict 2,000 calorie diet with plenty of protein.

Martin, said: "Louisa makes a good sumo wrestler because she's very stubborn and she's extremely strong for her age."

Her mum Victoria, 34, added: "I think any mother would be worried about their daughter wrestling.

"She broke her nose once and I went in to panic. It's heartbreaking when she gets hurt but I'm always there to support her. I'm on hand to bandage her up and mend the injuries."