2013 IBJJF Pan Kids was a Jiu-Jitsu celebration
Rafael and Guilherme Mendes oppened their academy in Costa Mesa, Calif. only seven months ago. Even so, the brothers managed to finish the 2013 Pan Kids overall teams competition on top, two points ahead of Team Lloyd Irvin, with Check Mat coming in third.
Atos JJ had 34 competitors registered to the championship this Sunday, at California State University Dominguez Hills in Carson. Out of the 34, 17 kids ended up with gold medals around their necks, according to the count of Guilherme Mendes.
The forth edition of the Pan Kids, created in 2009, was summed up by black belt Orlando Sanchez, leader of Gracie Barra Pasadena.
“Kids Jiu-Jitsu is so amazing. Imagine what we’re gonna have in 10 years, when all this kids are grown up,” Sanchez said.
That is exactly the feeling that dominated the venue in Carson.
Jiu-Jitsu has definitely caught on.
It is a Family activity, good for kids of both genders, all ages and shapes.
From 10 a.m. to almost 9 p.m., the children and their parents experienced a great Gentle Art celebration.
Once again, the IBJJF did a great job in running the show and this time it also introduced some major inovations. The biggest of them all was the automated brackets integrated with the scoreboards. It was possible for anyone with a internet connection to know who was fighting at that moment in each area.
It was also possible to follow the march of the brackets all the way to the definition of the champion.
IBJJF’s Vice-President, Marcelo Araujo, revealed that the same system will be used at the 2013 Pan and 2013 Worlds.
On the mats, kids from 4 years old to 15 years old gave it their all for the win and the medals.
It was an all-day show of triangles, armlocks, chokes from the back, chokes from the mount, etc.
There was some crying, both in defeat as in victory, but that’s part of the show.
A sporting arena is the ideal place for the little ones to learn about winning and losing.
For the complete results, go to IBJJF.org.
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Here is an awesome photo gallery with some of the best moments of the 2013 Pan Kids.
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