The best Japanese jiu jitsu teams took out the top two teams trophies for overall points at the recent world championships - but coming third was a small team from Katikati’s Global Jiu Jitsu Health & Fitness.
The local team of 13 travelled to jiu jitsu’s birthplace to compete with the best in the sport at the Sports Jiu Jitsu International Federation World Jiu Jitsu Championship in Nagoya, Japan, last month.
They won a staggering 11 gold medals with 11 world championship titles, silver and bronze medals as well as receiving third place by points overall for no-gi team in juvenile, adult and masters.
Coach Lance Campbell says they were against some big names and big teams at the tournament from September 26-29.
“For us to receive the third place overall teams trophy is massive and incredible ... this little team from Katikati.”
Lance Campbell wins two golds and black belt world championships (gi and no gi).
Caine Taiapa won three gold medals, was the purple belt world champion (no gi, open and weight division) and gold (gi weight division) and silver (gi open).
The no-gi team trophy winners were Japanese teams Impacto (first) and Carlos Toyota (second) with big representation of 50-plus competitors in the masters.
“Everyone in our team are not just competing, they are winning. They come from these small communities and it says a lot of their commitment and work ethic.”
Preparation was key, Lance says, with many athletes training two to three times daily for 15 weeks prior.
The Global Jiu Jitsu Health & Fitness crew ranges in age from 12 to 63.
Young ones were Ava Rose Kautai-King and Marlee Campbell, the two 12-year-olds. They both competed on the international stage and won gold and world titles.
Lance says it’s an intense atmosphere with 5000 competitors, 12 competition mats going at the same time and 10,000 people in the stadium yelling and screaming.
Tony Pearce on the right, wins bronze, blue belt (gi) bronze (no gi) silver, open (no gi).
“So for the girls to go out in that sort of environment and put on a gold medal performance for the day ... they rose to the occasion and dominated.”
Lance would also like to thank their local sponsors “who backed and believed in our title team even though economic times may be tough on business, they backed us”.
