SJJIF World Championships Brought the Heat
Elite competitors from around the world had their opportunity to test their skills and represent their teams for a chance to win the gold medal. There was representation from all around the globe as athletes from Japan, Mexico, and Brazil all made their way to the Long Beach Convention Center for the two-day event.
Athletes training right next door from Long Beach had the opportunity to compete and showcase their skills as well. One such athlete was Edmund Kim, a 27-year-old black belt training out of Grappling Fight Team in Orange, California.
Getting 2nd place in his division for No-Gi, Edmund is no stranger to competing at a high level. He has traveled and competed all around the world in places like Korea, Mexico, and Taiwan and has stood on top of the podium countless times. Earning the gold medal is symbolic to many athletes as it represents the countless hours spent in the gym and the nonstop grind it takes to be a high-level athlete. But for Edmund, medals are just the icing on the cake as he has already conquered so much more in his life.
Competing with torn ligaments in his wrist along with a torn ACL, Edmund is well-aware of the sacrifices one has to make to be a world-class competitor. With that being said, conquering the physical challenges of the jiu-jitsu journey can sometimes prove to be much easier than the mental and emotional ones. Overcoming childhood trauma, relationship issues, and the expectations of mainstream society, Edmund has already climbed his own mountain and has stood tall. Conquering many of his own personal demons along the way, medals have never been a means to an end for Edmund. For him, embracing the grind and having the ability to smile along the way has always been the more important achievement. As of today, he has decided to forego the more traditional 9-5 job and plans to continue chasing jiu-jitsu wherever it may lead him.
Hundreds of competitors set foot on the mats at this past weekend’s SJJIF World Championships. From the juvenile divisions all the way to the masters, every competitor had a goal that they wanted to accomplish at this tournament. Whether it be trying out a new technique or to be a world champion, every competitor came in looking for something to prove. Edmund came in looking for a chance to add another chapter to his jiu-jitsu journey and proved to be victorious.
Here are the results from the weekend’s events. Be sure to check out SJJIF’s website for the next opportunity to compete for the gold.
Gi Results
Male Black Adult 18 Rooster
1st – Masayuki Yoshioka – Over Limit JJ – JPN
2nd – Florentino Morales – Cobrinha BJJ – MEX
3rd – Andre Pontes – Ribeiro Jiu-Jitsu – BRA
Male Black Adult 18 Super Feather
1st – Joao Figueredo – Gracie Barra – BRA
2nd – Arun Sharma – Cmma – USA
3rd – James Barnes – Ufc Gym BJJ – USA
Male Black Adult 18 Feather
1st – Kennedy Maciel – Cobrinha BJJ – BRA
2nd – Isaac Doederlein – Cobrinha BJJ – USA
3rd – Pablo Dutra – Atos Jiu-Jitsu – BRA
Male Black Adult 18 Light
1st – Lucas Valente Tobias – Gracie Barra – BRA
2nd – João Mendes – Atos Jiu-Jitsu – BRA
3rd – Jesse Morales – Dojo Jiu-Jitsu – USA
Male Black Adult 18 Middle
1st – Otavio Sousa – Gracie Barra – BRA
2nd – Tom Gallicchio – Cobra Kai Martial Arts – DJI
3rd – Edmund Kim – Art Of Jiu-Jitsu – USA
Male Black Adult 18 Medium-Heavy
1st – Gabriel Almeida – Checkmat – BRA
2nd – Ronaldo Junior – Atos Jiu-Jitsu – BRA
3rd – Carlos Souza – Gracie Barra – BRA
Male Black Adult 18 Heavy
1st – Vinicius Reis – Guigo JJ – BRA
2nd – Moisés Cavalcante Guigo JJ – BRA
3rd – Joao Silva – Dojo Jiu-Jitsu – BRA
Male Black Adult 18 Super-Heavy
1st – Rafael De Lima – Atos Jiu-Jitsu – BRA
2nd – Arnaldo De Oliveira – Checkmat – USA
3rd – Helton Silva Junior – Atos Jiu-Jitsu – BRA
Male Black Adult 18 Ultra-Heavy
1st – Juber Andino – Marcel Louzado BJJ – USA
Male Black Adult 18 Open Light Weight
1st – Isaac Doederlein Cobrinha BJJ – USA
2nd – Pablo Dutra – Atos Jiu-Jitsu – BRA
3rd – Kennedy Maciel – Cobrinha BJJ – BRA
Male Black Adult 18 Open Heavy Weight
1st – Ronaldo Junior – Atos Jiu-Jitsu – BRA
2nd – Otavio Sousa – Gracie Barra – BRA
3rd – Carlos Souza – Gracie Barra – BRA
Female Black Adult 18 Super Feather
1st – Thalía Munoz – Dojo Jiu-Jitsu – USA
Female Black Adult 18 Feather
1st – Nathalie Ribeiro Checkmat – BRA
Female Black Adult 18 Light
1st – Nivia Moura – Atos Jiu-Jitsu – BRA
Female Black Adult 18 Middle
1st – Andressa Cintra – Gracie Barra – BRA
Female Black Adult 18 Heavy
1st – Kendall Reusing – Gracie Barra – USA
2nd – Talita Nogueira – Level Up BJJ – BRA
Female Black Adult 18 Open Light Weight
1st – Nivia Moura – Atos Jiu-Jitsu – BRA
Female Black Adult 18 Open Heavy Weight
1st – Kendall Reusing – Gracie Barra – USA
No-gi
Male Black Adult 18 Rooster
1st – Andre Pontes – Ribeiro Jiu-Jitsu – BRA
Male Black Adult 18 Super Feather
1st – Ari Tavira – Dojo Jiu-Jitsu – USA
Male Black Adult 18 Feather
1st – Kennedy Maciel – Cobrinha BJJ – BRA
2nd – Geoffrey Villarreal – Fabio Santos BJJ – USA
3rd – Cole Franson – R1ng BJJ – USA
Male Black Adult 18 Light
1st – Pablo Dutra – Atos Jiu-Jitsu – BRA
2nd – Corey Brown – Black Tie Jiu-Jitsu – USA
3rd – Jesse Morales – Dojo Jiu-Jitsu – USA
Male Black Adult 18 Middle
1st – Otavio Sousa – Gracie Barra – BRA
2nd – Edmund Kim – Art Of Jiu-Jitsu – USA
3rd – Tom Gallicchio – Cobra Kai Martial Arts – DJI
Male Black Adult 18 Medium-Heavy
1st – Carlos Souza – Gracie Barra – BRA
2nd – Cesar Herrera – Checkmat – USA
3rd – Ty Freeman – Checkmat B – USA
Male Black Adult 18 Heavy
1st – Gabriel Almeida – Checkmat – BRA
2nd – Rafael De Lima – Atos Jiu-Jitsu – BRA
Male Black Adult 18 Super-Heavy
1st – Julian Vanderlinden – Gracie Barra – USA
2nd – Helton Silva Junior – Atos Jiu-Jitsu – BRA
3rd – Jc Llamas – Llamas Competition Team – MEX
Male Black Adult 18 Ultra-Heavy
1st – Juber Andino – Marcel Louzado BJJ – USA
Male Black Adult 18 Open Light Weight
1st – Pablo Dutra – Atos Jiu-Jitsu – BRA
2nd – Cole Franson – R1ng BJJ – USA
3rd – Geoffrey Villarreal – Fabio Santos BJJ – USA
Male Black Adult 18 Open Heavy Weight
1st – Helton Silva Junior – Atos Jiu-Jitsu – BRA
2nd – Julian Vanderlinden – Gracie Barra – USA
3rd – Rafael De Lima – Atos Jiu-Jitsu – BRA
Female Black Adult 18 Middle
1st – Nivia Moura – Atos Jiu-Jitsu – BRA
Female Black Adult 18 Heavy
1st – Kendall Reusing – Gracie Barra – USA
Female Black Adult 18 Open Heavy Weight
1st – Kendall Reusing – Gracie Barra – USA
2nd – Nivia Moura – Atos Jiu-Jitsu –