COQUESSA Jones’ sporting passion is admittedly far more brutal than that of her peers.

But then again, this 32-year-old graphic designer has always been “a little bit different”.

After seven years training up to four hours a day, six days a week, Jones this year achieved a life-long goal becoming the women’s muay thai world champion.

Despite suffering a dislocated shoulder in the first 30 seconds of her quarter-final, which rendered her right arm useless, Jones fought on to win the 67-71kg division in Bangkok.

“It was pretty interesting. It just meant I had to kick a lot,” Jones quipped from her South Perth office.

That kick, however, happens to be powered by one of the most lethal legs in the southern hemisphere.

Training in Thailand, Jones learnt the full array of traditional moves using her shins, knees, elbows and padded boxing gloves, making it one of the world’s most dangerous forms of martial arts.

How she came to take up the sport was a simple matter of searching the Yellow Pages for some extra exercise after becoming bored with the usual aerobics classes.

“I’ve never been someone to take up yoga,” she said. “I’m more into things with more adventure, more risk and I wanted to do something a little bit different.

“And there is just nothing like the feeling of stepping into the ring, just the adrenaline rush and risk-factor of it.

“But there’s a great pay-off at the end. It’s all worth it when you're standing on the podium listening to the national anthem knowing you gave it your all.”

Still recovering from the reconstructive surgery, Jones hopes to defend her title at next year’s world championships.

Meanwhile, she will continue training under muay thai specialist coach Phon Martdee.

Jones won silver in the light-middleweight class at the 2005 muay thai world titles, but is now ranked No.1 in the world after her Bangkok victory.

The secret to her success, she said, was more commitment and discipline than natural ability.

“It takes months of training and dedication in preparation for the six minutes in the ring, so it’s imperative to keep the end result in focus,” she said.