Amelia Lui has her sights on total domination in Brazilian jiu-jitsu
Just 18 months ago, she was struggling to find an outlet for her talents. Today, she is a world champion
Thrown on to her back during a world championships Brazilian jiu-jitsu bout last month, Amelia Lui reacted rapidly by wrapping her legs around her opponent's neck.
Despite being in the intimidating spotlight of a packed stadium, the 23-year-old martial arts athlete remained calm, patiently manoeuvring her adversary further into her deadly embrace, known as a "triangle choke", restricting her airways. Within seconds her opponent succumbed. Lui emerged victorious, barely containing her delight.
She's the most unlikely of world champions in the brutal martial art, after all. "I'm a really girly girl, attracted to anything that sparkles," she said.
I remember thinking, 'I want to win and I want to be the best. I'm never going to lose again.' I stepped it up and really committed to it
By day, she is a model scout for a local agency; by night she grapples at local BJJ dojo Team Grips Atos, with the aim of defeating her opponents by choking them, putting them to sleep or breaking their limbs.
She has set her sights on being world champion at every belt level (there are five) in the rapidly growing sport - a journey she estimates will consume the next 10 years of her life.
And she's well on her way. Last month in the World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championships in Abu Dhabi, British-Chinese Lui took two gold medals in the female white belt division, in her weight category and overall.
Earlier this year she was crowned European champion white belt under 76kg and last year she won the female white belt British championship. She's ranked number one white belt world champion in the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation rankings.