A 10-year-old 5th grader, Aaliyah Svec, was the only girl in the finals for the Kentucky Middle school wrestling championship — and she was the runner-up.
Joining her on the championship podium, held in Corbin, were brothers Braydan and Cody Blevins
They all wrestle with Simon Kenton Elite wrestling club.
Aaliyah swept region 5 to qualify for state, and she took 1st place at regionals.
She loves the challenge and hard work of wrestling, she says, and she has wrestled for 6 years now.
She is a 5-time youth state placer, 2-time youth state Champion, and 2-time youth national champion — and at 10-years-old just got runner-up in Middle school.
Her coaches say she has a “positive attitude and is a hard worker, great partner and great teammate.”
Aaliyah has a younger sister, Amelia Svec, 8, who wants to follow in her footsteps. Amelia has placed at state 3 times and has been both a state champion and national champion.
The girls train and practice at NKY martial arts with long time coach Jeff Byrd at the Woodshed. They train with Addison Messerly and Olivia Messerly (world champion ) out of Ryle.
Aaliyah wants to bring girls wrestling into the spotlight in Kentucky. She and others are working with coach Byrd to start an all-girls session at NKY Martial Arts Academy in Ludlow to bring more opportunities to young girls like her.
Braydan Blevins finished his middle school career as a 4x state qualifier, a 2x regional champ and a 3x state placer. Cody Blevins became a 2x regional champion and ’22 MS State champion in his two years as a wrestler.
