Gracie Barra Isle of Man competed at the All Stars Manchester Pro Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Championship last weekend with a mixed squad of 15 juniors and adults.

There were Gi (wearing the traditional kimono), Nogi (wearing rashguard and shorts) and absolute (mixed weight bracket) divisions which took place.

The level was high for a UK regional tournament, but the squad had put in the effort in the lead up to it and returned with an excellent haul of six gold, nine silver and seven bronze medals.

The team came third overall and there were several standout performances throughout the day.

Coach Mark Franklin dominated the final of his division from the start until he won gold with a rear triangle leading to an armbar submission. Onlookers were suitably impressed and it stood out as one of the best performances of the day.

Hayley Curtis moved down age brackets and up in weight but won three matches with her trademark grit, determination and top pressure which ultimately led her to bring home a bronze in both the Gi and Nogi divisions.

Stuart Shimmin entered three divisions in only his second tournament to date which were the Gi, Nogi and absolute (mixed weight) brackets. He breezed through to the final of the Gi division and took silver thanks to a contested decision by the referee.

Shimmin was up against much heavier opponents in the absolute division but still managed to win the bronze match. A great victory in the semi-final of the Nogi division meant he faced the Gi finalist once again and this time he left no doubt as to who the better competitor was, convincingly winning gold.

Teen competitor Kye Greenhalgh entered various divisions at this tournament and went against an experienced competitor from the higher juvenile bracket in both Gi and Nogi in which he was victorious in both finals winning double gold.

Fellow teenager Jayden Mahey competed in a number of brackets throughout the day and was victorious in his weight division Gi final, winning gold in a technical battle proving he has what it takes to truly do well in this sport.

Jack Postlethwaite convincingly won his semi-final to take home a well-deserved silver in his Gi division. This was his second tournament and it was evident that he has made significant improvements between this and his first one last year.

James Moore won silver and bronze in his first tournament, having only joined the academy in January this year. This was a huge achievement for someone so early on and the club is keen to see what lies ahead.

Eddie Rennie who also only joined the squad this year won an exciting Nogi match against an experienced competitor, firstly racking up the points and then finishing off the match with a leg lock submission.

Rennie has been putting in a lot of time and effort since starting this year and coaches look forward to his next outing later this year.

As a result of no other girls being in her division, junior competitor Maisie Meban decided to compete in a higher weight boys category and showed great determination and technique in both Gi and Nogi matches, ultimately taking bronze after her opponent was disqualified for an illegal technique.

Gracie Barra Isle of Man head coach Conrad Roberts commented: ‘We had a great mix of experience for this regional tournament and all performed well which saw a great medal haul and some fantastic hard-fought wins throughout the day.

‘We are heading back over to the UK in less than three weeks to take part in the British Championships.’

The club is holding an open day on Sunday, May 14 from 11am to 5pm and everyone is welcome to pop in. It includes an adult introduction session at 1pm and kids games and bouncy castle.

The current students will also be taking part in a sponsored roll-a-thon to raise funds for the upcoming IBJJF European Championships.