Family feel part of the appeal for Katie Healy
The family feeling of a Black Country gym has been helping a boxer to enjoy training as she gets in shape.
Katie Healy has won three kickboxing titles at two different weights and returned to the fight game as a professional boxer, winning her first fight against Claudia Ferenczi in May.
The 23-year-old is doing her strength and conditioning training at the Iron Masters Gym in Bilston, having found out about the gym through her sister Samantha, who went to school with co-owner Santino Sellick.
Mr Sellick said Katie had been impressed by the work he and his brother Carlo were putting into the gym and decided to train with them six months ago.
He said: "She saw the time and dedication that we put into each individual who comes here and that stood out to her as a team to be part of and to get her into the physical condition she needs to be in.
"It's massive for us to have her training here as I saw her fight and saw the promotion they're putting into her, so it's great to have her choose us as a local business to help her on her journey.
"We've always been driving to get more women training here and use the strength and conditioning facility and it's a real boost for us to see a professional athlete choosing to train here with us."
Katie Healy said she had gone on her sister's recommendation and immediately fallen in love with the gym and training there.
She said: "Everyone's really friendly and you feel comfortable and the training is just so good.
"The brothers are brilliant as they just know what they are talking about and everything they do means something in your training.
"Every session I have with them, I'll explain when I'm doing at my boxing gym and they'll work out an exercise for me that will help with my footwork or my punching and it's really made a difference.
"I can't rate them highly enough as trainers or as people as they have just been great from the start."
To find out more about Iron Masters gym, go to facebook.com/theironmastersgym/.
