Sports

Local competitor does well at international Jiu-Jitsu competition

September 21, 2023   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

A local man who trains in Jiu Jitsu has returned from Las Vegas with a silver medal after competing in the IBJJF World Championships.

Maurice Gear, who trains at Orangeville’s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo Academy, was at the Las Vegas Convention Center, where the competition was held from Aug. 29 to Sept. 3.

This event happens once a year and is considered the most prestigious Jui Jitsu tournament in the world.

Maurice competed in the brown belt division in a field of 60 men. Starting off with a strong performance, Maurice won five of those matches by either submission or on points.

He lost his final match when the judge decided the other competitor had won, and Maurice received the silver medal after battling his way through the very tough competition.

Competitors in Jiu-Jitsu are entered by class, belt designation, and weight.

“The experience of competing and placing second in an international event is cool, but what I’m really proud of is that all my training and preparation was done at Orangeville Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Academy,” Maurice said. “Having such experienced instructors and training partners in Orangeville is such a privilege.”

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a self-defence martial art and combat sport based on grappling, ground fighting, and submission holds.

It approaches self-defence by emphasizing taking an opponent to the ground, gaining a dominant position, and using a number of techniques to force them into submission.

Ji Jitsu was developed in Brazil and revolves around the concept that a smaller person can successfully defend themselves against a bigger, heavier opponent by using leverage and weight distribution.

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