Maltese Jiu-Jitsu Athlete Scores Top Spot In European Championships
Maltese athlete Murman Korchilava has claimed Gold in the European Championships for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, held in Rome, Italy on 17th February.
The event, sanctioned by the International BJJ Federation (IBJJF), welcomed over 8,000 athletes, including Korchilava’s local club: Avant Garde BJJ, led by head coach Thomas Vander Eecken.
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Korchilava was not the only club athlete achieving Gold in the event, with South Korean athlete YuJeong Han, overcoming all opposition in her own respective category.
An ex-member of the Maltese Judo national team, Korchilava dived into the Master’s Category (a category for those over age 30 years) of the tournament, and trail-blazed his way through four impressive fights, and into the number one spot.
Their victories mark them as the leading athletes within their respective categories.
For those who may not be familiar with the sport, BJJ is very similar to Judo in that it involves throws, locks, chokes and submissions. Where it differs, mostly, is in how the contest ends.
While Judo often requires a successful throw, or take-down, to end the bout, BJJ matches are exclusively won after an opponent is overcome by way of submission.
That’s right, the opponent has to ‘tap out’.
With further challenges on the horizon – of which now include a world championship – all eyes remain on the Maltese club to see how much further they can take their fighting prowess. Without question, the country stands behind them and their accomplishments thus far.
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