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In Pictures

Gallery|Boxing

Gracce Kelly Flores, the Bolivian girl dreaming of boxing glory

The 12-year-old remains hopeful despite COVID restrictions putting a temporary halt to her ambitions.

Gracce Kelly Flores, a 12-year-old boxer, who goes by the nickname 'Hands of Stone', during her daily boxing workout. [Juan Karita/AP Photo]
Published On 13 Jun 202113 Jun 2021
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Twelve-year-old Gracce Kelly Flores wakes up early most days in her adobe home and sets off running along dusty paths through the thin mountain air above Palca in Bolivia.

Her plan to become a professional boxer has hit a lull now that the coronavirus pandemic has halted all competitions.

The schools are closed due to a surge in COVID cases but she is still training, usually three hours a day.

Flores adopted the nickname “Hand of Stone” because she says “I like to hit hard”.

She says she has never lost any of the two-minute bouts to which children are limited.

“I keep training so I don’t forget the techniques for my next fight, which I hope will be when [pandemic restrictions] are lifted,” she said.

Flores has been trained for the past six years by her father Alberto Flores.

The 54-year-old former amateur boxer raises rabbits alongside the family’s blue-painted kitchen-dining room-bedroom in one. She helps tend the rabbits after her training and her online homework.

“My dream is to reach the big leagues and turn 18 so I can fight with Jennifer Salinas, my favourite Bolivian boxer,” she said, though the former world super bantamweight champ known as “The Bolivian Queen” may be past fighting age by that time.

Gracce Kelly Flores trains under the coaching of her father Alberto Flores in Palca, Bolivia. [Juan Karita/AP Photo]
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At the age of eight, Flores defeated a 10-year-old boy, and with three national boxing medals under her belt, she dreams of reaching the women's boxing world championship. [Juan Karita/AP Photo]
Flores is helped by her father to put bandages on her hand before starting training. [Juan Karita/AP Photo]
Flores leaves home for a run as part of her daily boxing workout, under the watch of her mother. [Juan Karita/AP Photo]
Her plan to someday become a professional boxer has hit a lull now that the pandemic has halted all competitions. [Juan Karita/AP Photo]
'I keep training so I don’t forget the techniques for my next fight, which I hope will be when [pandemic restrictions] are lifted.' [Juan Karita/AP Photo]
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A Bolivian flag hangs behind Gracce's boxing medals at her home in Palca. [Juan Karita/AP Photo]
Flores helps prepare breakfast for her family, after her daily morning boxing workout. [Juan Karita/AP Photo]
Flores feeds her rabbits after her daily boxing workout. 'My dream is to reach the big leagues and turn 18 so I can fight with Jennifer Salinas, my favourite Bolivian boxer,' she said. [Juan Karita/AP Photo]
Flores with her family in Palca, Bolivia. [Juan Karita/AP Photo]


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