A 14 year old Jiu Jitsu athlete from Swindon is preparing to represent the country at her first international competition this month.
Jiu Jitsu Youth Team GB
Victoria, who is in Year 10 at Lawn Manor Academy, achieved her place on the GB Youth Team last year and will be travelling to Belgium to compete at The Flanders Open 2025 against competitors from across Europe.
She said: “I’ve been training since 2018 and competing for a few years now and have quite a few medals at home already, including the silver I won at last year’s Championship of Wales which got me into the GB team.
“Jiu Jitsu is really fun, there’s lots to it and it’s really exhilarating. When I’m competing in Belgium I’ll be fighting against girls in the same weight category as me, but I’ve been training with girls and guys who are heavier than me, which is an advantage. You have to be strong but there are throwing techniques that mean you don’t feel the weight if they’re bigger than you.
“I’m hoping to bring home as many gold medals as possible. Competing at an international level is a bit stressful but it’s fun - the adrenaline rush you get is such a good feeling.”
A win in Flanders could even potentially mean a shot at a future Olympics, should it become a recognised Olympic sport.
“It would be incredible to one day be in the Olympics,” continued Victoria. “Winning in Belgium would mean I could win the points needed to get into the GB Olympics team, if it one day gets accepted as an Olympic sport.”
Marek Koza, Assistant Headteacher at Lawn Manor Academy, said: “Victoria has a natural affinity for Jiu Jitsu and we’ve followed her success closely. We wish her the best of luck at The Flanders Open and look forward to seeing her bring back a raft of medals.”
Lawn Manor Academy is part of the Ascend Learning Trust.
For more information, visit www.lawnmanor.org.
Your Comments
Be the first to comment on this article
Login or Register to post a comment on this article