Great Bend martial arts school Submission Martial Arts Ministries took fourth place overall and second place in the adult division at the Fuji Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Wichita Championships at the Wichita Sports Forum April 10.
Instructor Nick Taylor said the local school took nine athletes to the competition, and was one of the smaller schools out of 15-20 schools that competed at the tournament. The school’s competitors were high school age and up.
Taylor expressed pride the team, and said each of the team’s athletes took home medals in their age bracket.
“We did pretty exceptionally,” Taylor said. “There are for major (jiu jitsu) schools in Wichita, and we beat out three of them.”
Competing for the school were (including place and division):
Antonio Carrasco - 1st place, lightweight nogi beginner
Pierre Cabrera - 2nd place, welterweight gi white belt
Cody Huddleston - 3rd place, lightweight nogi beginnner; 1st place, lightweight gi white belt
Nick Taylor - 2nd place, lightweight nogi intermediate; 2nd place, lightweight gi blue belt
Quinn Hoffman - 3rd place, lightweight nogi intermediate; 3rd place, lightweight gi white belt
Brannan Schaffer - 2nd place, strawweight nogi intermediate; 3rd place lightweight gi white belt
Owen Ridgeway - 1st place, flyweight nogi intermediate, 1st place flyweight gi white belt
Tyler Smith - 1st place, welterweight nogi beginner
Ed Bowman - 3rd place, heavyweight nogi intermediate
Submission Martial Arts Ministries meets every Tuesday and Thursday from 6:30-8 p.m. at the Central Kansas Dream Center, 2100 Broadway Ave. All classes are open to the public.