Sarah Draht and Stephanie Lund, of Pacific Top Team Penticton, are bringing home gold medals from the 2018 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Masters Championship.
Draht won gold in Masters 1 brown belt medium-heavy and silver in the brown belt absolute division. Lund took gold in Masters 2 purple belt light weight.
“What these two have accomplished is simply amazing. They locked themselves in a room for hours a day and trained their hearts out. Then they went to the biggest tournament there is and beat the best athletes from the best teams in the world. This is an amazing win for our entire country,” said Professor Jorden Reichenbach, Pacific Top Team head instructor.
The International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation hosts the annual tournament, which ran from Aug. 22 to 25 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Competitors age 30 and over travel from across the globe to compete in the world’s largest Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournament.
Draht defeated Sarah Scarr by Ezekiel choke to take gold in Masters 1 brown belt medium-heavy.
In the brown belt absolute division, which pits medalists of all weights against each other, Draht bested eight-time world champion Tara White of California and Shantelle Thompson of Australia before losing to Nikki Sullivan of Atos, Calif. in the finals.
Lund won gold in Master 2 lightweight purple belt. On the way, she submitted Terrie Schauer of Montreal in the semi-finals via kimura. Lund then went on to defeat Lyndsie Zugec of Zuma MMA in Victoria 2-0 for gold in the final with a collar drag sweep.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a martial art based on grappling. Athletes compete to win matches by either submission holds such as arm locks, leg locks and choke holds or by points awarded for the successful use of grappling technique.
Pacific Top Team Penticton teaches Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai kick boxing to adults and children of all ages. Draht teaches a women’s only kickboxing class. Draht and Lund teach a women’s only Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu class.
For more information on PTT call 250-460-0552 or visit www.pttpenticton.com.
“It’s amazing to be training under two these two world champions. The idea of starting Jiu-Jitsu as an adult was nerve racking at first, but the support and guidance from Sarah and Steph the moment I stepped on the mats was beyond what I could have ever imagined. The comradery in this class is like no other and it is nurtured and fuelled by my two amazing coaches,” said Logan Rogers, a PTT student.
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