Norman Saunders, 25, training out of Liverpool’s Next Generation gym, secured second place at a major tournament recently.
Norman took the spot at the International Brazilian jiu-jitsu London Open recently.
This is big for the aspiring grappler, as the London Open is one of the biggest BJJ competitions in the UK and was a great opportunity to show off his rapidly improving skillset: “The experience was great, the venue was packed with some of the best jits athletes and coaches in the UK.”
For most competitors the added pressure of such high level talent spectating could affect their performance, however for Norman “I’ve completely lost the nervousness to compete.”
Norman’s calm demeanour may have contributed to his success: “I had four wins over the weekend, all via submission, before losing a close match on points in the finals”.
Norman accrued all wins by submission, which is a rare outcome for a competitor, especially at the top level.
Norman is one of the most active blue belts on the scene. At only 25 he has years to hone his skillset and is still “working so hard everyday that I can beat those blue belts”.
Not one to be outworked, he trains three hours a day, seven days a week, on top of being a law student at the University of Liverpool.
With an unmatched work ethic and with a “goal of becoming the best in the world”, his journey will be one to watch.
Watch John Hughes’s video report here:
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Featured image via Norman Saunders
