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Ilhame’s story with martial arts is not only happening inside the ring, but also outside of it. Without a warning, she found herself fighting against cancer, in a difficult combat.
Born in Strasbourg to parents from Nador, Ilhame and after graduating high school, initially went on to study kinesitherapy. Unsatisfied with the curriculum, she decided to transfer to an institute and major in real estate.
Two years after graduating in 2008, she worked in a bank as a wealth management officer. «It took time to figure out exactly what I wanted to do», she told Yabiladi. In addition to work, she continued her studies, earning a bachelor's degree in wealth management and a master's degree as a wealth management expert.
Ilhame combined her work at the bank with kickboxing, a sport she has been practicing since the age of five, following in the footsteps of her older brother and sister. «I used to accompany them to the Club de Boxe française d'Ostwald and also to the competitions they were participating in», she recalled. «As a child we always want to be like our elder siblings, I wanted to try and I liked it», she remembers.
Ilhame joined the same club, but her siblings left the ring while she chose to continue. She had her first fight in 1998, when she was 12 years old, against older opponents.
«I was very scared, and I was more afraid of losing to the opponent, which happened but it was a great experience that taught me a lot, it motivated me to win future competitions. I learned that defeat does not mean giving up, on the contrary».
Elham won her first championship, becoming French Champion at the age of 13, a championship she went on to win 13 times. She also won the World Championships in 2004, 2006, 2008, and 2018 and was the European Champion in 2011, 2019, and most recently in 2023.
«In 2014, I submitted a request to the Royal Moroccan University of Boxing to join the Moroccan national team and represent Morocco in international competitions, but it was not possible, as I was playing for the French national team», she lamented.
Juggling her work at the bank and boxing in the ring, in addition to training, is not easy. «I need sports in my life», she acknowledged, which led her in 2016 to open the FIT BOXING club. «I train women, once a week due to my full schedule», she told Yabiladi. «I started this project because I wanted to play in the name of my club, as well as train and encourage women, especially as boxing is seen as a male-dominated sport».
Ilhame's fight against cancer
In September 2021, while preparing for a tournament that she was scheduled to participate in October of the same year, Ilhame received bad news. She was diagnosed with breast cancer, which forced her to stop boxing throughout 2022, as she underwent a series of surgeries, as well as chemotherapy.
«It was a very difficult year. As soon as you are diagnosed, you immediately think about death, and this is the most difficult stage. I used to say to myself that my life has stopped, but the important thing is not to indulge in these thoughts, and instead look for enthusiasm to overcome this disease. For me, I'm fighting this disease as if I were fighting in the ring».
A year later, she returned to boxing: «I decided to participate in 2023 in the French championship, and I managed to win the title, and also the European championship».
Unfortunately, Ilhame thought she had won her fight against cancer, only to learn that she was diagnosed with liver cancer. «I don't want to be defeated by cancer; I don't want it to stop me from living my life normally. I deal with the disease as if I'm standing in a boxing ring, there is only one winner, and we will see who wins».
Ilhame admits that it is not easy, «but [she is] doing everything [she] can». «I want to fight till the end». Thanks to her strong will and determination, as well as the help of her family, Ilhame continues to fight cancer and is not giving up. «My family knows very well that boxing gives me psychological comfort and makes me feel more confident, I need boxing in my life, and I need to participate in competitions and live my life as I used to», she concluded.
