Telford gran Su finds champion way to kick-start a new life
Here is one way to tackle a mid-life crisis – become a world champion kick boxer.
A grandmother, from Randlay in Telford, turned her life around in the most dramatic way possible in 2009, after having a left hip replacement and becoming wheelchair bound.
Su Morgan, 50, had put on weight and found herself in a rut. So she decided to take charge of her life and make a change.
She joined a slimming group, lost eight stone and took up kick boxing.
And she found she was so good at the sport that she has now reached international standard for her age group.
Su trains at Freestyle Martial Arts Academy in Randlay and Telford Amateur Boxing Club in Madeley.
She has become an accomplished club fighter, travelling abroad to compete in martial arts many times.
Su was crowned world champion at the World Martial Kombat Federation in Malta in 2015, and gained a silver medal at the same competition in 2016.
She now has shelves full of shining trophies and a world champion belt for her efforts.
As part of her aim to lose weight, Su said she started going to the gym, but said she found it boring.
She said: "One day I went to the shop and watched kick boxing through the community centre window and I thought 'I could do that' and so I did.
"It was just practice and more practice and it became easier as I got lighter.
"It gives me a buzz and I lose more weight so that gives me motivation. It felt amazing to lose all that weight, I am never going back.
"I started in 2010 and I have been competing against some people who have been kick boxing all their lives, as most people start it as kids.
She has inspired her six-year-old granddaughter who also wants to win medals and kick boxes with her grandmother at home.
Su is also planning to complete a 54-mile bike ride from London to Brighton on June 18 to raise funds for the British Heart Foundation.
"We've had some family health issues since Christmas and it got me quite down so I wanted to set myself something to focus on, so that is what I have done.
"I will start training this week and have planned a bike ride from Randlay to Whitchurch, which I've worked out is about 20 miles.
"I'll see how long that takes then, but I would like to complete the 54-mile bike ride in under five hours, that is my goal."
Su said she will be setting up JustGiving and a GoFundMe online pages, where people can donate if they search her name.
