Stella Hemetsberger

“Mom is often scared, but dad thinks it’s cool”

Kickboxing world champion Stella Hemetsberger in training.

(Bild: Tröster Andreas)

Stella Hemetsberger is the epitome of a real power woman and has achieved almost everything in kickboxing. The 25-year-old from Salzburg invited the "Krone" to her training studio and talked about her sporting career, her successes and how her parents deal with her sport. 

Numerous punching bags hanging from the ceiling, countless skipping ropes and a ring in the middle of the room - the RS Gym in Siezenheim is a meeting place for many amateur boxers and something of a second home for kickboxing world champion and World Games winner Stella Hemetsberger. "I started when I was 13. I still love being here today," says the now 25-year-old, who invited the "Krone" into her "living room".

I play a marginal sport. Of course it's nice when someone notices what I do, but I don't need recognition for my successes

Stella Hemetsberger

The Salzburg native is the epitome of a power woman, has achieved almost everything in her sport and yet she still runs somewhat under the radar. "I play a marginal sport. Of course it's nice when someone notices what I do, but I don't need recognition for my successes," says the police athlete. You get the feeling that Stella herself doesn't really know what she has already achieved. "Sometimes I have to look back and reflect. But there's still a lot to win, my titles haven't changed me."

She wasn't really aware of her great talent at first. She tried out various sports as a child and then came to boxing by chance through a friend of her mother. "I never wanted to be a competitor, I just enjoyed boxing. At some point, I was asked by my trainer Roland Schwarz if I wanted to fight. That's when it all took its course," Hemetsberger recalls. "I lost all my first fights, but that motivated me. Because talent alone doesn't help, it takes a lot of hard work."

Kickboxing world champion Stella Hemetsberger met with the "Krone" at the RS Gym in Siezenheim.

(Bild: Tröster Andreas)

There's no need to mention that her sport also involves injury risks. Breaking her nose every now and then is part of everyday life. "Luckily it was always broken straight through, so it's not crooked," laughs the 25-year-old. What do her parents say about her job? "My mom is often scared for me, but dad thinks it's pretty cool." For Stella, however, fear is a foreign word: "You don't even need to get into the ring."

European Championship title still missing
She recently completed her first practical hours as a police officer - after her sporting career ("There's no end in sight yet"), she can well imagine working as a civil servant. But now her focus is on the European Kickboxing Championships in the fall: "I don't have that title yet."