Submission Only Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Championship 2023 |28 December 2023
Female competitors line up in second event
The 2023 Submission Only Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Championships took place in Seychelles on December 23. This year's event marked the second edition of the competition, bringing together participants who had spent a year training and preparing for the intense battles on the mat. In the event, in addition to competing for top spot on the podium, participants had the opportunity to win interesting prizes including the R1,500 which was awarded to the first-place winner of each category.
One notable highlight of the championships was the introduction of the ladies’ absolute category. It was a groundbreaking moment for the competition as it saw the participation of female athletes for the first time. This serves as a testament to the growing engagement of women in the sport. The final rankings for this category are as follows: Anjali Tamboo secured the first place spot, followed by Eva Auguste in second place, and Ashlee Waye-Hive in third place.
In the men's lightweight (-69kg) category, Daniel Auguste emerged victorious, successfully defending his title from the previous year. The results for this category are as follows: Daniel Auguste claimed first place, with Lopez Anacoura in second place, and Mohamed Robert in third place.
James Carpin dominated the men's middleweight category (-85kg) in this edition of the competition. Having finished second in the 2022 event, Carpin left no room for doubt this time around, delivering two of the three fastest submissions of the entire competition. His outstanding performance earned him the first place ranking. Curtis Hoareau secured second place, followed by Jeremie Morel in third place, and Alvin Stravens in fourth position.
Adding to the excitement, an exhibition fight took place between one of the club's co-founders, Adrian Nanty and seasoned athlete Jean-Paul Labonte. After an intense battle that saw neither competitor able to submit the other within the allocated time, the bout was settled in overtime, with Adrian emerging as the victor. Adrian expressed his satisfaction with the exhibition fight, stating that it provided an opportunity for him to test himself against one of Seychelles' best athletes. He hoped that by competing he could possibly encourage others to sign up for future competitions. As a co-founder of the club, the organisers felt that competing for podium finishes and prizes against club members would be inappropriate.
The organisers of the competition also recognised outstanding performances by awarding special accolades to certain participants. Daniel Auguste was honoured with the best takedown award, while Jeremie Morel received the distinction of best submission. The fastest submission award went to Lopez Anacoura, and James Carpin was recognised as the best overall competitor of the championships. The winner of each of these respective awards received an additional R1,000.
The 2023 Submission Only Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Championships in Seychelles was truly a memorable event, showcasing the dedication and skill of the athletes involved. With the inclusion of female participants, it is clear that the sport continues to grow and attract more diverse talents.
Head coach and co-founder of the club, Vivian Hoareau highlighted that he was most impressed by the sense of community and team spirit in the group and is eternally grateful to the generous sponsors who helped make the event possible.
The accompanying photos show most of the winners and other podium finishers.
Contributed
