Childrens Martial Arts Success

Stealth BJJ Youth Team member Libby Genge has just become the first UK Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competitor to fight in the largest BJJ competition in Russia, which took place at the Dinamo Sports Palace in Moscow.

The Gymnasium Cup had over 700 kids and teenagers from a variety of different grappling disciplines fighting under IBJJF rules. Members from the Russian National Sambo wrestling and Judo squads along with competitors from the different BJJ teams could be seen in action fighting for what has become a very prestigious title in the Russian competition circuit. Russia, Norway, Sweden, Ukraine, Kazakstan, and Serbia also had fighters at the event making it a truly international affair.

With all this skill in one place the action was fast paced and of a very high standard. Takedowns and throws into aggressive ground work were the preferred method of attack for many of the fighters. Even the younger kids had a really solid throwing game and many of the matches spent as much time on their feet as they did on the floor.

Libby had two other girls in her category who were both larger and a year older than her. The first was from the Golovkin team and had previously fought for Russia at a world cup for another style of jujitsu. Libby however quickly took the fight to the ground and started to wrack up the points to get a massive lead on her opponent without giving away a point. In the dying seconds of the match Libby tried to finish the fight with an arm bar, but her opponent managed to hold off her attack. The final score was a convincing 10-0 to Libby and she moved on to the final.

The second girl Libby battled with was from the Ludus BJJ team. She had pulled also pulled guard in her first match to beat her opponent with points from a sweep. Libby however didn’t give her a chance to settle into her game and after a quick fight for grips Libby pulled guard, swept her opponent and passed her guard before trying for a shoulder lock set up from the North South position. Again the other girl fought on escaping the lock and the match went to a points decision with Libby winning 8-0.

Libby is already planning for the another trip to fight in France at Naga Europe later this year and at the Europeans, which will be held in Wolverhampton this November where she will defend her European title.