MEMBERS of the Sale-based Frontline Australia Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Fitness Academy recently participated in the Australian Federation of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Nationals, delivering a series of performances that showcased their grit, determination, and team spirit.
Under the guidance of coaches Eva and Scott Clarke, the athletes fought valiantly, often stepping outside their weight classes to gain invaluable experience at the national level.
The day began on a high note with Gunther Graf securing a gold medal in the male middleweight division with a solid points victory of 5-2. However, the team faced a challenging moment when Gracie Smit suffered an injury during her first tournament, which sent ripples through the team.
Despite this setback, the athletes continued to push through, leaving nothing behind on the mats. Several competitors took on the challenge of fighting in higher weight categories, demonstrating courage and a hunger for growth.
While the step up proved to be a learning experience for both athletes and coaches, it highlighted the resilience of the team.
The coaches expressed immense pride in the team, noting that although some athletes lost by points or submission, the outcome could have gone either way. Each competitor fought hard until the final buzzer, often outclassing larger opponents with sheer determination and skill.
On Saturday, six competitors took to the mats, achieving notable results, led by Graf (male gi /white/master 6 (56+)/-82.3kg (middle)) winning a gold medal.
Smit (female gi/white/adult/-74kg (medium heavy)) was injured during her match.
Bianca Visser (female absolute gi/blue/master 1/open weight) won a silver medal, with a solid submission win in the first round. Visser also competed in the absolute category and took home a silver with one win and one loss.
Jonathan Devine won silver medals in two divisions – male gi/blue /master 2 (36+)/-82.3kg (middle) and male nov gi/blue/master 2 (36+)/-79.5kg (middle).
Bartholomew Butcher won silver in male no gi/blue/master 1 (30+)/-67kg (feather) with a brilliant performance and several takedowns, and lost on points in male gi/blue/master 1 (30+)/-70kg (feather), but showed commendable effort.
Tom Fricker (male gi/purple/master 2 (36+)/-76kg (light)) clinched silver with several hard fights.
Cody Robertson (male gi/blue/adult/-70kg (feather)) was stopped in the first round of his bracket with a nail biting fight that show cased a high level of skill by himself and his opponent.
On Sunday, the juvenile competitors demonstrated their potential.
Chayse Kendall (juvenile boys gi/blue/juvenile 2/-64kg (feather)) won a bronze medal, while James Arnup (juvenile boys gi/blue/juvenile 1/-69kg (light)) fought with fierce confidence in his first tournament.
Hayden Armistead (juvenile boys gi/white/juvenile 2/-89.3kg (super heavy)) stepped up two weight classes, earning two bronze medals.
Hayden Lynch (male no gi/white/adult/-85.5kg (medium heavy)) stepped up a weight class and was pipped at the post with a 2-2 tie. Lynch lost by one advantage but his fight was certainly the fight of the tournament.
The Clarkes emphasised that while medals were a great achievement, the real victory lied in the growth of each athlete. They hoped to see more members of the community take the first step into BJJ, as new members contribute to the development of future competitors.
“The team’s performance over the weekend was a testament to their hard work and dedication,” they said.
