Lampeter students Mikhail Banica, Jarryd Hoy (pictured in white) and John Tierney recently competed in the Hereford Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Open competition, a whitebelt only martial arts event.
The competing students were accompanied by a minibus full of supportive Lampeter friends who cheered them to victory in some of their fights.
During the competition, John Tierney won four of his five fights getting a silver medal, Mikhail Banica won one out of three, whilst Jarryd Hoy won three out of five fights. All the students represent the Chris Rees Academy in Swansea, Wales’ only official Gracie Barra Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu club. Other competitors travelled from as far afield as London and Manchester to compete in the event.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a martial art and form of self-defence that focuses on grappling, especially ground fighting, and is one of the fastest growing sports in Europe. The Lampeter students took up the sport after Jarryd began arranging regular visits from his instructor Chris Rees.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is one of the martial arts practiced within the Lampeter Students’ Union Martial Arts Club, along with Ninjutsu, Kung fu and Boxing. The club was first set up in 2008 and has since grown in popularity amongst both male and female students who wish to combine mental strength with physical fitness.
Classics student Jarryd has also been able to combine his passion for Jiu-Jitsu and Martial Arts with his academic work whilst at Lampeter by focussing his undergraduate dissertation on the relationship between Greek Martial Arts and the fighting style of the professional Hoplite in ancient Greece. Jarryd is now studying for a Masters degree and has presented the findings of this work to conferences in Edinburgh and Lampeter, and will soon be presenting at the Classical Association conference in Cardiff and at the Institute of Classical Studies in London.
Jarryd, John and Mikhail are now looking towards competing in the Welsh Open competition in March, and possibly the British Open in April.
