Aussie teen dies from intense workout regime

  • 11/12/2017

A Perth teenager has faced her fate after undertaking a gruelling workout regime in preparation for an amateur Muay Thai fight. 

Jessica Lindsay, 18, knew she had to lose weight fast in order to stand a chance against her opponent. 

In the days leading up to the fight, she was running in a sweat suit, taking salt baths, and reducing her water intake drastically. 

One day she went running and collapsed. She never woke up. 

Ms Lindsay was so dehydrated that her organs had started shutting down - and the excessive training was a tipping point. 

Ms Lindsay's mother Sharon Lindsay is still torn over how quickly it all happened. 

"It was one bad weight cut, one bad weight cut that caused this to a very, very healthy 18-year-old," she told 7 News

The Combat Sports Commission's guidelines state contestants shouldn't lose more than 4-5 percent of their body fat, emphasising that weight-loss should be pursued through good nutrition and exercise, not dehydration. 

Chief medical advisor to the commission Paddy Golden doesn't think that's good enough. 

He wants fighters to have a finger prick test in order to judge their hydration levels and dictate whether they should be allowed to compete. 

Mr Golden says he's been pushing for change for years, and is saddened by the fact it's taken the death of a young woman for anyone to take notice.

Ms Lindsay is pleading for change before this happens to someone else. 

"Anyone who is doing this should wake up now, don't think it can't happen to you, this could be you."

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