Four talented students from 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu Richmond made their way to Atlanta on May 7th to compete in the International Brazilian Jiu Jiutsu Federation (IBJJF) Atlanta International Spring Open. The event saw athletes from all over the world come together to compete in a variety of divisions and showcase their skills on the mats.
Adam Fritz, a competitor in the adult black belt Master 1 division, would have faced tough competition in his division. However, all of his opponents failed to show up, giving him the first place in his division by default. Despite this, Adam decided to compete in the absolute open division, where he won a gold medal by submitting his opponent with a straight ankle lock.
Natilee Wells, a 7th grade student at Madison Middle School, competed in the Teen 1 yellow belt division. She dominated her matches, winning her first match with a mounted dead orchard arm bar. In her second match, she secured a win with an advantage point scored off of a sweep in the final seconds of the match, earning her the gold medal.
Tor Lunneborg, a student at LaFontaine Prepatory School, fought in the grey belt junior 1 class. He won his first match 4-2, but unfortunately, lost his finals match by submission referee’s decision Kimura, settling for the silver medal.
Joey Lopes, another 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu Richmond student, also competed in the event but was unable to secure a win to earn a medal.
This impressive showing at the Atlanta International Spring Open comes only one month after Natilee and Tor both won gold medals at the IBJJF Los Angeles International Open. Their victories at these international events showcase the talent and dedication of the students at 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu Richmond, and their coaches are proud of their hard work and accomplishments.
The team now looks forward to the next event on the calendar and continues to train hard in preparation for future competitions.
