Members of the Jiu Jitsu Club shared with us their latest achievements in a National Japanese Jiu Jitsu Competition which took place earlier this month (4th-5th May) with many members winning awards!
Randori was awesome, it made me feel a part of a huge community and taught me so much about Jiu Jitsu and myself. - Sam Fortmann
"The Jiu Jitsu Club embarked on a journey with a team of 9 Jitsuka to compete at the Randori Nationals, the esteemed event organised by the Jiu Jitsu Foundation (TJJF) as the second of two nationals held annually. Building on our remarkable achievements at Atemi, the inaugural nationals of the academic year, we eagerly anticipated the opportunity to learn and showcase our skills on a grand platform.
Arriving on Friday evening, we settled into an Airbnb in Coventry, gearing up for an early start to training at 9am until 1pm. On Saturday afternoon, the competition unfolded with knockout rounds across various categories.
The structure of the Randori Nationals adheres closely to traditional martial arts competitions, with participants categorized by sex, weight, and martial arts experience (grade). Depending on the class, matches may focus solely on ground combat or encompass both ground and standing fighting. Matches typically have a time limit of 3 minutes, with victory declared if a participant accumulates sufficient points.
Excitement mounted as Sunday approached, with 7 of our 9 teammates poised for medal contention. Following a celebratory evening at the Airbnb and a night out, Sunday morning heralded another early start. After rigorous training, the much-anticipated medal matches commenced.
Our Orange Belt, Dan, clinched gold in a blue belt standing category, showcasing exceptional skill. Additionally, our chair, Sam, secured a silver medal in purple belt ground fighting, narrowly missing bronze in the standing competition. Chaz and Mike also earned bronze medals for their prowess in ground fighting.
Notably, Elisa, Matt, and Micah demonstrated outstanding performances and narrowly missed out on bronze medals, further exemplifying the depth of talent within our club.
The collective effort of our team culminated in a memorable tournament, marking a significant milestone since precovid times.
We extend heartfelt gratitude to all participants and supporters for their unwavering dedication and encouragement throughout this journey."
Going to a tournament for the first time is intimidating, as soon as I was on the mat I felt comfortable and welcome and excited to train with some awesome people. - Daniel Fernandez Samaniego