Ryan Smyth brings home gold!
Last Saturday, 24 January, Ryan Smyth of the Atlantic Jiu Jitsu team in Sligo won gold at the IBJJF European Jiu Jitsu Open Championships. This was held at the Casal Vistoso Municipal Sports Centre in Lisbon.
Jiu Jitsu Sligo, had won gold in 2013, and bronze in 2014 and was looking to bring his vast competition experience to the fore this time around. Then he did exactly that.
Smyth battled hard against strong opposition on his journey to top the podium. It was an emotional victory for the grappler born in Sligo town. The many years of gruelling training which helped prepare him for his greatest sporting achievement to date. “I came to Lisbon for the Europeans last year and got bronze,” he said. “so I went back to training more determined than ever to reclaim the gold. All you can do is train hard, give your best and never give up. Once you do that, the results will follow”.
Victorious in the toughest and most highly regarded BJJ tournament in Europe. Smyth said “Huge thanks to all my training partners at Alliance who helped me get prepared during the Christmas holidays, and many thanks to IT Sligo Knocknarea Arena for their continued support and a great many thanks to all my wonderful family and friends for their support”.
