CEBUANO Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners dominated the 1st Jiu-jitsu Federation Visayas Regional Open yesterday at the Cebu City Sports Center yesterday.
Leading the way for the Cebuanos was April Comeros of 90/Eight BJJ , who bagged two gold medals after topping the under 60-kilogram and the white/blue belt absolute competitions.
Comeros’ teammate Arnel Ylanan won gold in the male under-62kg.
Dreamer Hong, another 90/Eight BJJ stalwart, pocketed a silver medal, while Chad Gutierrez from Fabricio BJJ settled for bronze.
Another Cebu-based team Overlimit BJJ also made some noise as Jaco Immanuel Lucero ruled the male under-69kg, while his teammate Dominic Miala topped the male under-85kg.
Deftac-San Carlos City’s Maria Aisa Ratcliff snatched the gold medal in the female under-50kg, while Katrina Viagedor and Glaiza Tangaha, both from Overlimit BJJ placed second and third, respectively.
Eva Marie Gamboa gave Overlimit BJJ a gold by topping female under-55kg. In the male under-62kg, Chad Gutierrez of Fabricio BJJ won gold.
Around 30 BJJ athletes competed in the one-day tournament organized by the Jiu-jitsu Federation of the Philippines under the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).
GROWING SPORT
International referee Stepehn John Kamphuis of Australia acknowledged that the BJJ is a growing sport is Cebu.
He said the holding of the tournament was timely since the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) is already initiating its development program for the sport.
He said the tournament’s three main goals are: introduce the sport to the community; give more exposure to BJJ practitioners in the region; and educate them on therules and regulations of a BJJ tournament.