Source: Borneo Bulletin
Brunei athletes secured podium finishes in the Asian IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2019 in Tokyo, Japan held from September 13-15.
Representing Brunei in the competition, they won two silver and one bronze medals.
Nobel Lee of The Refinery won bronze in his weight class for the purple belt Master 2 division, and a silver medal in the open weight division.
In the open weight division he secured victory in his first round match against a Japanese opponent winning 4-0. He advanced to the semi final against a tough Brazilian competitor. After struggling in the first few rounds, Lee clawed his way back to recover from a 9-0 deficit to win 11-9.
In the final match, he lost against a Chinese competitor by submission.
“It was a great experience being able to test myself against the best in Asia. There are no easy matches at this level and just one mistake can cost you the victory. I truly embraced the challenge and was satisfied with my results,” he said.
Angel Lepi, who is also from The Refinery, fought in the female adult blue belt division and dominated a Japanese opponent in her first match with a 9-0 win. In the finals, she lost to a strong Canadian opponent.
Abi Umamah Ali and Khalifa Mixed Martial Arts’ Haji Abdul Hadi Bakir competed in the purple belt Master 3 and Master 2 divisions.