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By Patrick Lujan

Richard Camacho wins the super heavyweight gold (white belt) for the second year in a row at the Pan Asian Championships. (photo by Andre Gadia)

PASAY CITY, Philippines – The Pan Asian Jiu-Jitsu Championships is quickly becoming one of the Asian region’s popular Jiu-Jitsu tournament as in increased amount of participants from a year ago put their skills on display at the Mall of Asia.

Guam’s Sumika San Nicolas and Richard Camacho were both white belt gold medalists in the first day’s gi competition.

Blue belt studs Drew Palomo and Derrick Calvo both came up just short in their gold medal matches and settled for silver.

Purple Belt

Jeremiah San Nicolas, only 20-years-old and five months into his purple belt career, made a young man’s mistake that cost him the gold medal in the 79kg division.

After two submissions and a win on points in the semifinals, San Nicolas was matched up well against a tough Filipino player.

Then the mistake with the score 4-2.

“It was a technical fight,” San Nicolas said. “I thought I was up and I eased up in the last 30 seconds. I was up on advantages and I was reading (the scoreboard) wrong.”

San Nicolas was trailing 4-2 and not leading. The costly mistake had San Nicolas settling for a silver.

Teammate Kevin Cruz lost his semifinal match in the 69kg division and took home bronze.

Blue Belt

Within a matter of minutes, both Calvo and Palomo were on seperate mats battling for gold.

The 21-year-old Calvo, gold winner of this year’s Marianas Open, cruised through his first couple of matches in the 76kg before his tough Hong Kong opponent in the gold match, where he fell behind in points before succumbing to a kimura.

“I made a little mistake and he took it,” said the Marianas Open gold medal winner. “I couldn’t capitalize on my butt screw.”

Drew Palomo had to take out two Guam opponents (Mark Magpusao and Anton Rosario via armbar) before taking out his first international opponent in the semifinals in the same way. Palomo finally met his match in the gold medal round against a lanky practitioner from Singapore, losing 7-0.

Sumika San Nicolas cruised through for her white belt gold medal. (photo by Andre Gadia)

White Belt

Sumika San Nicolas struck gold in the morning matches, going 3-0 with the two last coming via armbar. The 24-year-old Yigo resident said, “It went easier than I thought it would be. It has to be my stamina. I’m a runner so the cross training really helps out.”

San Nicolas added that her dad, who was present for her fights, noticed that her opponents were gasping for air during their bouts.

The Asian Open champion in the rooster division had to compete at a higher level because there were no rooster competitors available.

Super heavyweight Richard Camacho repeated as Pan Asian champion. He went 3-0 with all three matches by points with Camacho on top of his opponents using his weight advantage.

Sean Zervoulakos takes home bronze in his super middleweight division.

NO GI SUNDAY

Kevin Cruz gets his hand raised in victory in the purple belt god medal match. (GSPN photo)

Kevin Cruz rebounded from a bronze medal performance on Saturday to take the gold in the purple belt 69kg no gi.

Cruz was much quicker in his transition game on all three matches to the gold. In the finals, Cruz was cruising with a 12-2 lead when his Filipino opponent was disqualified for an attempted ankle lock, a move that’s illegal from purple belts and below.

“I was just grinding the whole way out there,” Cruz said after his victory.

Teammate Derrick Calvo also won gold in his no gi blue belt division.

Young Stussy Shiroma won the gold in his kid’s division, winning three matches early Sunday.

Silver medal winners: Jeremiah San Nicolas, Richard Camacho, Sumika San Nicolas and Kisha Onedera.

Bronze medal winners: Jacob Terlaje, Paulette Saure and Chloe Taitano.

PHOTO GALLERY BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

Sean Zervoulakos gets a bronze medal in the super middleweight division. (photo by Andre Gadia)

Derrick Calvo goes for the armbar in his opening blue belt match of the Pan Asian Championships. (photo by Andre Gadia)

Drew Palomo gets top position against Mark M – both from Guam. (photo by Andre Gadia)

When off island, all Guam teams become Team Guam. Tim Shiroma, Anton Rosario and Lloyd Cubacub cheer on a Guam grappler. (photo by Andre Gadia)

Super heavyweight Richard Camacho had the size advantage on his way to another gold medal two years straight. (photo by Andre Gadia)

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