01-07-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
How a breast cancer and PTSD survivor reinvented herself as a strength and mobility coach
For Han-mi Walsh-Riddle, a victory in a Hong Kong kettlebell competition in November 2024 was the culmination of her blood, sweat and tears.
Walsh-Riddle had entered the competition after having only taken up the sport six months prior. The challenge was a gruelling 10-minute snatch test – swinging a 12kg (26.5lb) kettlebell from under her body up into an overhead position with one arm, repeatedly, in the allotted time.
After completing 115 reps, she won.
'Tears were streaming down my face. My hand was bleeding. But everybody else's hands were bleeding too, right? What is the difference between me and you?' she says.
Walsh-Riddle competes in the the 2024 IKO Hong Kong Kettlebell Championship in November 2024. Photo: courtesy of Han-mi Walsh-Riddle
The Korean-American's hard-earned physical and mental fortitude comes from having to push through many challenges in her life:
breast cancer , PTSD (
post-traumatic stress disorder ), divorce and rebuilding herself in a foreign country.
Now a strength and mobility coach, as well as a mental health awareness advocate for cancer patients and survivors, Walsh-Riddle is dedicated to helping others facing similar challenges.
