B.C. boxer Terris Smith hoping for shot at Olympic glory

Terris Smith is a meticulous accountant by day and transforms into a champion fighter at night. She is set for what may be her last chance to qualify for the Olympics.

It was the contact with the pads and hitting full power on every punch that first got Smith hooked on a new sport. And after finding success in her boxing debut, there was no turning back.

“I TKO’d her,” Smith said, referring to a technical knockout in her first fight. “I was happy with that. I was excited.”

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After eight years of working her way up the ranks, Smith has become a feared opponent in every bout.

“She can hit,” said her coach Jason Heit. “A tiny little 132-pound girl that can crack. We actually have to be quite careful who she’s sparring with.”

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Smith is a fierce fighter with a fast right hand, a stark contrast to the mild-mannered accountant who sits behind a desk during the work day.

“I actually took on a partner role at my firm, so this year has been extremely stressful,” Smith said. “It’s exhausting sometimes.”

She has claimed numerous B.C. titles as well as national and international belts. Every win in the ring fuels her to push even harder. She has very little free time for anything else.

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“Work, work. Box, box, box,” Smith said. “It’s been tough, but it’s just going to be that much more rewarding when it pays off.”

And now a new round of bouts is starting at an Olympic qualifying tournament in Thailand, as Smith fights her way for a spot in Paris this summer.

“The Olympics is the pinnacle of amateur boxing. That’s the one everyone wants on their resume,” Heit said. “That’s your shot at the ultimate glory.”

It would be an achievement the Victoria native never could have imagined when she first started this journey.

“You always have to believe in yourself and I always have believed in myself,” Smith said.

“So just putting that into training is what’s kept me going.”