Halton Jiu Jitsu Success
Initial Force Protection Support, SAC Alex Smith, has just returned from Japan where he competed in the International Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation Asian Championship earlier this month.
The RAF Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Team took eight members to compete in the International Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) Asian Jiu Jitsu Championships, a competition which is open to anyone around the world and is one of the top competitions within the Jiu Jitsu community.This visit was heavily subsidised by the RAF Sports Federation and ISS facility service, reducing the cost massively for each team member.The competition was held at the Tokyo Budokan which is going to be one of the 2020 Olympic venues. Out of eight competitors that were spread over various weights, age and belt division the team were successful winning the following medals;
SAC Alex Smith from RAF Halton – Gold – Adult Blue Belt Heavyweight Champion
Fg Off John Maflin from St Mawgan – Gold – Adult Brown Belt Middleweight Champion– An elite athlete
Chief Tech Mark Haysom from RAF Waddington – Silver – Masters 3Blue Belt Heavyweight
Cpl Gordon Reid from RAF Lossiemouth- Silver – White Belt – Light Feather Masters 1and
SAC Gavin Davies from RAF Benson – Gold – Blue Belt – Light Feather Masters Champion
The team spent a total of ten days in Tokyo training once or twice on a daily basis and then competing over a three day period. As well as training the team had plenty of down time to explore what Tokyo has to offer.
Alex said: “We had the pleasure of watching some of the top competitors in the world. I had never competed at a venue so big before but that just added to the build-up of competing. I usually feel nervous before stepping on the mat but because the amount of training I had done and the support I had from the RAF BJJ Team and also the Roger Gracie Academy, a Jiu Jitsu school in Buckinghamshire, I’d never felt so good for a competition.I was supposed to have three matches but my first opponent didn’t show up. In total I only spent two minutes and four seconds on the mat, over two matches, winning both by submission (by kimura in 58 seconds and the second via triangle in one minute and six seconds) This won me the Heavyweight Blue Belt Adult Championship. As an added bonus I am now ranked 55th in the world under the IBJJF at my belt level. This will hopefully be improved with the last remaining competitions of the year including the London and Paris Open.”
RAF Halton should soon have a Jiu Jitsu club, details of which will be notified or you can call SAC Smith for more details on 07496115530.