Local martial artist Kirby DeLaunay smashes brick-breaking record

Kirby DeLaunay saved her best for last.
On a stage she had dreamed of performing on since she was a kid, the highly decorated martial artists put forth an incredible display of power, precision and persistence, smashing through a world-record 280 bricks in 2 minutes, 41 seconds.
“This was the best day of my life,” DeLaunay said shortly after completing the break. “There are so many people here. So much support, so many people from other states and countries watching live, and I’m just glad to represent our home. Nevada County, we did it.”

In front of a crowd of hundreds at the PG&E Center Stage at Cal Expo, DeLaunay methodically powered through 55 brick towers, each one stacked five or six high with 2-inch thick bricks.
When the dust settled her hands were bloodied, and she had a new record. DeLaunay’s 280 bricks broken, crushed her previous record of 150, set in 2016.

After the performance, the bricks were inspected and the 280 count was confirmed by official Mel HeBert.
DeLaunay, 44, had set a goal of breaking 300 bricks in less than 3 minutes, and came close, but 20 bricks remained in tact after the break completed. DeLaunay, not one to leave a task unfinished, came out after a brief respite and plowed through the final 20 for good measure.
Tuesday’s break was DeLaunay’s swan song. After nearly 30 years of turning bricks to rubble, the Nevada County native said she is retiring from the discipline.
“I can walk off and retire from brick breaking and be proud,” she said. “I did it.”
Five time World Kickboxing champion Robert Parham was in attendance for the break.
“What can I say about Kirby? We love her, and support everything she does,” said Parham, who is also a mentor and close friend of DeLaunay’s. “She’s a great talent and we wish her well.”

Despite the toll taken on DeLaunay’s hands, she stuck around after the event to sign broken bricks for kids and fans in attendance.
“Believe in what you want. Go for it. Go after it,” DeLaunay said to the crowd after her record had been officially announced. “Don’t let anyone tell you to stop, don’t let anyone tell you, you can’t do it. That’s what got me started. I was told I couldn’t do it because I was a girl and I wasn’t big.”
Tuesday’s performance was just another example of DeLaunay following her dreams and proving her doubters wrong.
To learn more about DeLaunay visit https://ezcard.com/kirby.
To contact Sports Editor Walter Ford, call 530-477-4232 or email wford@theunion.com.