Sertão BJJ athletes pose with medals won at a Jiu-Jitsu tournament held in Fortaleza. Photo: Personal ArchiveRoney Edler’s Sertão BJJ team participated in a competition in Fortaleza last weekend, on September 15th and 16th, delivering an outstanding performance. The CBLP’s Mundial Pro is a tournament highly regarded by athletes from the region, as it is seen as an initiative to support and promote athletes within the federation. “This is a North-Northeast level championship, with many teams coming to Fortaleza to compete. The CBLP is a federation that aims to support athletes from this region. Many cannot afford to travel, cover flight costs, or handle the logistics of going to the Center-South of Brazil,” Roney explained. EACH ATHLETE CONTRIBUTED, WITH THE ENTIRE TEAM REACHING THE PODIUM In total, six athletes competed, including adults, juveniles, and kids, and all of them left the competition with medals. Yasmin Martins, a blue-belt juvenile competitor, was the champion, as was Gabriela Martins in the kids division. Levi Martins also took gold in the kids category. Ricardo Bezerra, a gray-and-white belt, placed second, as did Antônio Maurício, a juvenile competitor, but in No-Gi. The adult representative, Isaac Martins, a blue belt, secured third place in his division. Roney Edler, who now leads the Sertão team from the United States, highlighted the academy’s professors in Brazil as real agents of change for athletes who lack resources to remain active in competitions. “None of this would be possible without the professors in Brazil, who believe in the team’s mission and work tirelessly every day to make it a reality. Our team typically provides two or more flight tickets each year to students who excel in state competitions. This allows us, within our means, to help change the lives of athletes and their families. That’s our purpose. In 2025, two athletes will travel to Lisbon, Portugal, to compete at the IBJJF Euros. We achieved this with our own resources, as I allocate a percentage of my earnings from here in the US to support and motivate these athletes.”
Emmanuela Oliveira é faixa-marrom de Jiu-Jitsu e formada em Comunicação Social. Dentro do tatame, aprendeu que é possível conjugar Jiu-Jitsu, escrita e o gosto pelas artes visuais em um só pacote.
