WA Sports Star Finalists: Lekeisha Pergoliti reaping the rewards of years spent boxing out of her weight class

Local WA boxer Lekeisha Pergoliti has made a stunning start to life on the world stage with her eyes now set on Commonwealth and Olympic Glory. The 23-year-old was shortlisted for the WA Sports Star of the Year awards, having had a whirlwind 12 months that saw her medal in every event on her debut year at the senior world benchmark level and named Australian team captain. But her success has not come easy, with Pergoliti only recently stepping out of the shadow of Paris Olympic bronze medalist Caitlin Parker. “During the 2024 Olympic cycle, they removed the 70kg division, so I had to choose whether I wanted to go down to 66kg or up to 75kg, and I felt dropping down would be too extreme,” she told The West Australian. “It meant I was No.2 behind Caitlin, and I was fighting girls that were always a little bit bigger or a little bit stronger. “But having that international exposure against bigger fighters was a blessing in disguise; to come home with a medal each time is unreal.” It’s not the first time in her career that Pergoliti has had to do things the hard way, having fought her way from Bunbury after only taking up boxing at 14 due to an ankle injury, to now being Australia’s No.1. “I’d never shown an interest in boxing until then, I’d still be doing team sports, but before I knew it, I changed the soccer boots for the boxing gloves,” she said. “I moved to the city when I was 19, basically working 2-3 jobs in cafes, catering, anything casual I could do while also training twice a day. “The grind is not fun, it’s hard, people say ‘you’ve got to love the grind,’ but when you’re grinding, it’s pretty intense, and there were definitely moments where I called my parents saying ‘I don’t know how much longer I can do this.’” However, having secured sponsorship and a WAIS scholarship at the end of 2024 saw Pergoliti take her fighting to new heights, culminating in two world boxing cup silvers and a perfect 4-0 record in January’s Commonwealth Games trials, which has her locked in for selection. “The Commonwealth Games is something I’ve dreamt about since picking up the gloves at 14 to be able to represent Australia is a massive thing for me,” she said. While her focus is firmly on the future, Pergoliti said it was a huge honour to be recognised for the blood and sweat she has already poured into her career. “When I found out I’d be nominated, I couldn’t believe it because a lot of amazing sports stars have won this award, so I’m very honoured, and it’s a validation for me for the hard work I’ve put in,” she said. “Especially as a female in a male-dominated sport, I know people like to say it’s all equal, but in boxing and combat sports in general, it’s sometimes hard to recognise as a female. “It means the world to me.”