Daughter hones skills grappling with Dad
Palmerston North Brazilian jiu jitsu fighter Vaughan Antonio has had to start sleeping with one eye open since his daughter, Katlyn, started learning the sport.
The pair are competing at a BJJ Gi competition in Auckland this weekend, with Vaughan taking his daughter and student to her first big tournament.
Vaughan said Katlyn, a white belt, isn’t strong enough to hurt the adults she trains with, but keeps them honest.
‘‘ She’ll ask for a hug, then try to rip your arm off,’’ he said. ‘‘ She’ll sucker you in with her charm and try and submit you somewhere around the house.’’
Vaughan, who runs the UCOL gym, is also her coach. Eleven- year-
‘‘ She’ll ask for a hug, then try to rip your arm off.’’ Vaughan Antonio Speaking of daughter, Katlyn
compete
in
the old Katlyn will beginners’ class.
‘‘ For this one I’ve really been focusing on my daughter. I’m a little bit nervous. She’s been chasing me around the house asking me what I do need to do here and what do I need to do there?’’
Katlyn started the sport about a year ago, has had one competition. But this is the first proper tournament and she has been getting lastminute tips from her dad.
‘‘ Sometimes I go and pull something on him without him knowing,’’ she said.
Katlyn, a Palmerston North Inter- mediate Normal School student, has been going to kids training, but also stays after class for extra training.
Despite being so young, she wants to be a UFC fighter when she’s older.
This weekend is part of Vaughan’s buildup to the world masters in California in October. He has another competition in Kapiti next month and the New Zealand championships in Rotorua in August. He is a purple belt. A few people have gone up a belt, so he wasn’t sure who he would be up against this weekend.
At the world masters he will compete in the age group for those born between 1972 and 1976 and it will be a welcome change for the 40- year- old heavyweight, who usually competes against ‘‘ young strong guys’’. Vaughan has also been training the Manawatu Turbos rugby team, getting them into Brazilian jiu jitsu for their pre- season.