Island Top Team athletes got their grasp on championship belts this month. The Nanaimo club had winning results at the North American Grappling Association’s Seattle championships Sept. 10.
Sportsmanship was a theme in Island Top Team’s victories. Matt Kwan won gold in his expert no gi division, releasing a fully locked-in submission to avoid injuring an opponent in the final, winning on points instead, and then Umesh Thillaivasan did the same en route to a dominant points victory and gold in his purple belt division.
Adam McGuire was a triple champ, winning two different white belt gi divisions and a beginner no gi division. In one match, McGuire pulled off an impressive tomoe nage sweep in the dying seconds for the win.