Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Tennessee Randall trains young kickboxers as well as focusing on her own career

A 21-year-old has become just the second woman to be crowned a full-contact world kickboxing champion for Great Britain.

Tennessee Randall of Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, won the World Association of Kickboxing Organisations (Wako) world championships in December.

She was named best female ring fighter from 50 champions at different weights after winning the under-56kg category.

No fighter from Great Britain has ever been awarded this accolade previously.

Tennessee said: "The competition was massive. It was a massive goal for me. It was a rollercoaster of emotions throughout the week trying to keep my nerves in control.

"I worked so hard for this.

Image copyright Tennessee Randall Image caption Tennessee (in blue trousers) in her championship-winning fight

"I had the best training camp off my instructor in Port Talbot so I just knew that if I performed how I could perform, it would all be OK and it all paid off in the end.

"Two years ago I had a bronze in the championship so in those two years I have been working extremely hard to improve that medal and turn it into a gold."

Prior to her world title win, Tennessee's greatest achievement was winning the WAKO Senior European Championships in November 2018, which no other female fighter has achieved for Great Britain in full contact.

In March 2019, she won the prestigious Irish Open championship for the second year running in full contact.

Image copyright Tennessee Randall Image caption Tennessee on the podium at the championships in Turkey

Tennessee regularly competes at an international level and fully funds herself, despite many of her opponents from abroad being full-time sponsored athletes.

She is currently unbeaten in under 56kg category in full contact.

As well as training and competing, Tennessee is studying for a master's degree in clinical and abnormal psychology at Swansea University, and volunteers for mental health charity Hafal.

She also teaches kickboxing classes in Llanelli alongside her father, Leigh Randall.

Tennessee said her passion outside of competing lay in teaching and inspiring the future generation of Welsh kickboxers.

Randall family We tried dancing, that lasted for about three lessons...then at seven, I took her kickboxing and it was as if she had found her thing.

On teaching kids Tennessee said, 'It's an absolute joy seeing how much kickboxing has transformed their lives. It is a great experience and something I really enjoy. Teaching has helped me improve my fighting as well.

Her mother Tracy Randall said: "What she has achieved is unbelievable. She is 21 years old, she is a full time student, while competing, teaching and volunteering.

"I am super proud. I don't know how she does it."

Image caption Tennessee took up kickboxing when she was seven

Tennessee did not take the path her mother thought she would when she was a child.

"We tried the dancing, that lasted for about three lessons," said Tracy.

"I tried the piano. That lasted just as long, then at seven, I took her kickboxing and it was as if she had found her thing.

"She started competing when she was 11 but she hasn't stopped since."

Image caption The current world champion is hoping to train a future champion

Tennessee is celebrating 10 years as a kick boxer and wants to boost the sport's recognition in the UK. She has won the Irish Open for two years in a row and is hoping to make it a hat-trick in 2020, which would be a first for a woman in full-contact fighting.

She is also aiming to represent Great Britain in the Olympics.

Tennessee considers kickboxing to be a very inclusive sport which challenges traditional views of men's and women's involvement.

'In kickboxing they are massively passionate for having equal participation with males and females," she said.

"I think there are some perceptions you have to look a certain way to be a fighter but in kickboxing you can be any shape or size, it doesn't matter at all.

"I am so proud to be involved in kickboxing because it is breaking down these gender barriers."

Her father Leigh said the title was Tennessee's biggest achievement to date, adding: "Wako is to kickboxing what Fifa is to football.

"They are the only Olympic recognised organisation in the sport.

"It is literally the Premier League of kickboxing."