Whangarei Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighter off to Abu Dhabi

Thanks to a wealthy sheikh and his son's infatuation with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Whangarei's Leyla Okyay is winging her way on an all-expenses-paid trip to Abu Dhabi in April.
When the crown prince of Abu Dhabi and deputy supreme commander of the UAE Armed Forces, Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan's son fell in love with the martial art form, the sheikh decided to sponsor the inaugural World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championships last year.
Throughout 2010, the best fighters fought at trials held around the world and the victors won all expenses paid trips (by the sheikh) to the 2011 championships - including seven competitors from New Zealand.
Okyay, 24, who recently moved to Whangarei from Auckland to work as an osteopath, was excited to be among the fortunate recipients.
"It's really exciting, I have not competed overseas before. The world's best will be there so I will have to do a lot of preparation before I go," she said.
Okyay had only one fight in her over-63kg class at last weekend's trials in Auckland and defeated Auckland's Sylvia Philcox easily to cement her spot at the championships in Abu Dhabi.
"Each fight lasts a maximum of six minutes and our fight lasted just under four minutes. She [Philcox] got the take down and then I dominated on top and finished with a choke to win," she said.
Obviously pleased with the win and the grand prize at the end of the competition, Okyay said she was disappointed she got just the one fight during the day.
"There were only six girls fighting out of around 100 competitors - and a few of those were over from Queensland. Women are really under-represented in the sport which only started in New Zealand around 15 years ago. It is really popular in the United States and Brazil, and those countries will have strong competitors at the championships."
After starting Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu when she was 19 years old, Okyay is now a blue belt - which is one level up from the beginner's white belt.
"Jiu-Jitsu moves slower than karate - it takes about 10-15 years to reach your black belt," she said.
In Auckland, she belonged to Submission Martial Arts Club and when she moved north, started up her own club, running two classes a week - on Tuesdays and Thursdays - at the Round House Kickboxing Studio. She has also started judo and kickboxing recently to complement Jiu-Jitsu.
Jiu-Jitsu is a non-striking sport compared with judo where opponents try to take each other down to the ground. Once on the ground, the opponents try to get the other to submit by using one of many techniques.
"It's always a challenge and it is very technical, it requires a lot of thinking - and you can win without necessarily being the stronger opponent - you are always learning new things with BJJ."