Local women win gold at BJJ worlds

Sarah Draht and Stephanie Lund of Pacific Top Team Penticton captured gold medals at the 2018 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Masters Championship held Aug. 22-25 in Las Vegas.

Draht won gold in Masters 1 brown belt medium-heavy and silver in the brown belt absolute division, while Lund took gold in Masters 2 purple belt light weight.

“What these two have accomplished is simply amazing,” said PTT head instructor, Prof. Jorden Reichenbach. “They locked themselves in a room for hours a day and trained their hearts out. Then they went to the biggest tournament there is and beat the best athletes from the best teams in the world.

“This is an amazing win for our entire country.”

The International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation hosted the event with athletes age 30 and over competing in the world’s largest Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Tournament.

Draht defeated Sarah Scarr by Ezekiel choke to take gold in Masters 1 brown belt medium-heavy. In the brown belt absolute division, which pits medallists of all weights against each other, Draht bested eight-time world champion Tara White of California and Shantelle Thompson of Australia before losing to Nikki Sullivan of Atos, California, in the final.

Lund submitted Terrie Schauer of Montreal in the semifinals via kimura and went on to defeat Lyndsie Zugec of Zuma MMA in Victoria 2-0 in the final with a collar drag sweep.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a martial art based on grappling. Athletes compete to win matches by submission holds such as arm locks, leg locks and choke holds or by points awarded for the successful use of grappling technique.

Pacific Top Team Penticton teaches Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai kickboxing to adults and children of all ages. Draht teaches a women’s only kickboxing class and along with Lund teaches a women’s only Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu class.

For more information, call 250-460-0552 or visit www.pttpenticton.com.