Record Haul for Jiu-Jitsu Team

Gracie Barra Isle of Man Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu travelled to the All Stars BJJ Liverpool Pro last weekend and returned with their biggest medal haul to date.

Winning 13 gold, 10 silver and bronze brings the year total so far to nearly 100 medals.

In an exhilarating display of skill, determination, and discipline, the Douglas based Squads showcased their prowess at the regional jiu-jitsu competition held in the centre of Liverpool.

The athletes left an indelible mark, impressing spectators and officials alike with some fantastic performances. The event saw participants from across the region converging to test their mettle and hone their jiu-jitsu skills.

From the moment the competition commenced, it was evident that both the Junior and Senior Squads were on a mission to leave no doubt about their proficiency in the combat sport.

Double British champion and coach Mark Franklin continued his unbeaten streak with a gold in both Gi and Nogi despite a recent bout of illness.

Mark produced a dominant and controlled performance in the Gi final with a clear win on points and then turned things up a notch in his Nogi final with a spectacularly executed triangle wrist lock against a high level opponent which secured an early submission win.

Jayden Mahey took to the mat with confidence securing superb victories in both Gi and Nogi divisions and taking home Gold in both. Jayden is an Assistant Coach and continues to devote his time and effort into Jiu-Jitsu along with his Strength and Conditioning. It really showed this weekend as he didn’t have any points scored against him winning 8-0 in the Gi and 15-0 in Nogi. This is Jayden’s last year in the junior squad and what a journey it has been so far.

Junior Squad member Alan Greenhalgh really came into his own this competition bringing lots of confidence and an increased level of skill to secure wins in both the Gi and Nogi divisions. A superb takedown in his opening Gi match was a highlight and his tenacity in subsequent matches proved invaluable. Alan came away with an incredible double gold!

Cedric Brigino who is currently the highest belt ranked junior squad member brought his trademark athleticism and determination securing a well deserved Gold in the Gi division against a higher belt and experienced player.

Training partners Hayley Curtis and Shirley Tung had to face each other in Gi and Nogi matches which wasn’t ideal for either competitor but both went into it like any other match. The GBIOM coaching policy for matches like this is for neither corner to be coached but it makes for an unusually quiet affair until the end when both team mates are cheered for their efforts. Hayley brought home the gold in both their Gi and Nogi matches with point wins. Shirley went on to face another competitor in a lower age category but lost by one advantage point.

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Juniors Hanako Henson and Amy Gardner were also in the same division but they both needed to win their respective semi-finals to get there first. Amy was up first and had the challenge of an older competitor who was in a higher weight division. She didn’t let this stand in her way and claimed a dominant submission victory. Hanako who is relatively new to her belt then executed a text book arm bar to win her semi-final before having to face her team mate Amy. The final match was hard fought with both competitors scoring points and ultimately Hanako took the Gold with Amy taking Silver.

Joe Kane was back at only his second ever tournament to see if he could obtain some more wins under his belt. This was also his first tournament competing in Nogi. He went straight to work and racked up an impressive 4 wins from 5 matches with 3 submission finishes including hitting a strong Ezekiel choke. This meant Joe brought home Gold in the Gi and Bronze in Nogi.

Coach Jamie Mayers was back on the competition mats and despite supporting his team mates as well as his Son Stan who was also competing he managed to maintain both a determined and relaxed demeanour which led him to a fantastic submission win in the semi-final and brought him home the Silver in his Gi division.

The Squad’s collective efforts culminated in First place in the Under 18’s category and Third place in the Over 18’s category which further establishes them as a dominant force to be reckoned with in the British Isles and further afield.