Kingston’s smallest jiu jitsu team take home 12 medals

Kingston’s jiu jitsu squad battled their way to a fifth title at the UK national championships, with 12 individual medals.

The smallest Kingston team to win the Randori Nationals snatched six gold, three silver, and three bronze medals and everybody who competed won at least two fights.

Gareth Penn, 24, third-year games technology student and president of the jiu jitsu team, said: “It’s amazing and unbelievable.“It is such a wonderful feeling to have that we performed so well that we came first. And we are the best in the country. What more can you have.”

Penn, who won a silver medal this year, added: “When we train, we try to cover as many different scenarios as possible and stuff we are being taught in the class really puts us in a great position to win the Nationals.

“We are winning our medals for ourselves, as individuals but also collectively for Kingston University.”

Four of the winning students at the championships only joined the team this year.

Penn said that the jiu jitsu team had recruited well and training towards Randori Nationals was also successful and that was why they won.

Penn said: “Although we are one of the smaller clubs we tend to do very well at the Nationals.

“Hopefully, when it comes to freshers fair next year we will be able to recruit more people to go to Nationals.

“Not many people give martial arts a go, and I feel like it is a sport which you can learn a lot about yourself, and bring your skills to the outside world.

“You get to meet new people, work on your self-discipline, and you have a chance to fight for a medal.”