Riley ‘Warmachine’ Foden is two years younger than his sister, and collects accolades as often as her. He too just returned home from Iowa with the championship belt in his division, and is returning to Bangkok to claim gold in the 45kg weight class for a second year in a row. He loves the family atmosphere at Kalsamrit, his home away from home. “I think one of my biggest accomplishments so far was winning gold in Bangkok last year. Not because I won the gold entirely, but because I fought the world’s best and it made me realize that I deserved to be there. On top of that, being able to fight and win alongside my sister…I doubt many people will get the opportunity to do the same,” says Riley.

Once a shy kid, Riley utilized muaythai as a vehicle to get him out of his shell. After 7 years of training in the sport, he has amassed an 18-2 record in sanctioned competition, with a perfect record of 13-0 in light contact events. Like his sister, he is a smart forward-moving athlete with a great ability to push the pace when he needs to. He also embraces the culture of muaythai, and recognizes that there is far more to the sport than just competition. “I am so proud to be on this journey with Savannah, our family, which include our teammates and coaches, who are like family. Their support and devotion has formed a life bond. The biggest win in my journey isn’t about belts and titles. Making life long relationships is what it’s all about.” Wise beyond his years. Riley embodies the spirit of these IFMA Youth World Championships. His second visit to the tournament is another step along his journey to one day competing for Canada at the Olympic Games.

The Foden’s represent 2 of 5 athletes from Kalsamrit Gym in Bowmanville who will be representing Canada at the World Youth Championships in Bangkok. The saying, “iron sharpens iron” is evident at Kalsamrit, which continue to produce high quality nak muay who have gone on to represent Canada with pride at international events.