Marrakech – Moroccan-Dutch kickboxing sensation Israe Dahman-Sebti will compete for the IFP Youth Belt in the 52kg division on September 27 in Genk, Belgium. The 16-year-old World Youth Enfusion Champion will face Dutch opponent Jentl van der Jagt at the Limburghal arena, where approximately 3,000 fans are expected to attend.
Dahman-Sebti, who trains at Tigre Kickboxing in Tiel under coach Jalal Bouchaab, captured the World Youth Enfusion title in September 2024. She defeated Belgian fighter Elle Moens by unanimous decision after three rounds in Alkmaar.
“From the age of four, I’ve been kickboxing. The fact that I succeeded in becoming World Youth Enfusion Champion makes me very grateful,” Dahman-Sebti told Regiosport Veenendaal in October 2024.
The young fighter described her championship bout against Moens with confidence. “The fight went well, very well. Beforehand I was a bit nervous, you never know how it will go. Once I approached the ring, that faded and I felt myself getting stronger. I wanted to fight like a beast, fight as if I had never won before,” she said.
Currently, Dahman-Sebti trains five to six times per week at Tigre Kickboxing, while also continuing to train at Gym Verhaar in Veenendaal on Wednesdays. She began her kickboxing journey at Angels Gym before transitioning to other facilities to pursue her championship dreams.
“When I was 12 years old, I went to another gym because my dream was to become a world champion. My real breakthrough came here with Jalal,” she explained.
Her father, Choukri, who was once active with kickboxing legend Fred Royers in Arnhem, introduced her to the sport. “My father wanted me to take up a combat sport so I could defend myself well. I really enjoy the sport and want to go all in,” Dahman-Sebti said.
Her coach, Jalal Bouchaab, speaks highly of her abilities, comparing her to another successful fighter. “She is a good example. She knows Figuereido Landman well. He goes full throttle on technique and strength. Israe is the 2.0, but the girls’ version,” Bouchaab said.
In December 2024, the Municipality of Veenendaal honored Dahman-Sebti along with other local sports champions. During the ceremony, the then 15-year-old explained how kickboxing has impacted her life.
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“If I don’t exercise, I don’t feel good. Sports calm me and make me feel fitter. Through sports, I’ve met many people with the same mentality as me. I’ve also gotten to know myself better through sports,” she stated at the civic ceremony.
“I develop both physically and emotionally through sports. As an athlete, I want to be an example. I persevere and hope to motivate people to start exercising too.”
Dahman-Sebti balances her athletic pursuits with education. “School is always number one. I’m now in the third class at Rembrandt College in Veenendaal, that’s where my priorities lie now,” she said. “In the past, I always wanted to become a teacher. Now it also seems nice to become a kickboxing trainer. But for now, I want to fight matches myself and especially win matches.”
Her upcoming IFP title fight against Jentl van der Jagt will be broadcast live via pay-per-view on the official IFP website, marking another major opportunity in her developing career.
