Banbury Jiu Jitsu athletes strike gold at national championships
Members of a Banbury martial arts club have enjoyed success at a national Jiu Jitsu championships.
A strong team of athletes from Banbury’s 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu club travelled to Milton Keynes on Saturday, June 20, to compete at the North American Grappling Association (NAGA) national championships.
The Riverside Business Park-based club attended the event alongside its sister club, 10th Planet Milton Keynes, competing against athletes from across the country.
The championships proved highly successful for the Banbury team, who returned with a haul of medals including three golds, one silver and two bronze finishes.
Standout performances included Michael Walker, who claimed gold in the Men's Gi Brown Belt Heavyweight division, Nathan Hambrook, who took gold in the Men's No-Gi Expert Lightweight category, and Gavin Stewart, who topped the podium in the Men's No-Gi Expert Welterweight division.
David Strachan secured bronze in the Men's No-Gi Expert Ultra Heavyweight division, while Zac Ford finished fourth in the Men's No-Gi Expert Bantamweight category. Reece Hamilton also competed in the Men's No-Gi Expert Featherweight division.
In the junior divisions, Bodhi Settle claimed bronze in the Children's No-Gi Beginner category, while teammate Jonathan Lewis secured silver following another strong performance.
A spokesperson for the club said: “The success at this weekend’s national tournament underscores the high level of technical ability and dedication cultivated at both the Banbury and Milton Keynes clubs.”
The club is now looking ahead to its next major challenge, when two of its members travel to Bath to compete at the prestigious Polaris Pro Grappling event on July 11.