Trinidad and Tobago bag 14 medals at GAMMA World Championships in Brazil

A 14-member Trinidad and Tobago contingent had a performance to remember at the Global Association of Mixed Martial Arts (GAMMA) World Championships in Sao Paulo, Brazil from June 16-22 as they hauled in 14 medals, including two gold-medal winning efforts. To go along with the two gold medals, the TT team which were captained by Anthony Joseph, also claimed seven silver and five bronze medals respectively.

Overseen by coach Kerry Grant, the TT team ranked 12th at the championships which featured over 60 participating countries. TT’s gold medals came from Alex Khan and Renee Fortune, who won the men’s under-21 83.9kg striking MMA and the girls’ under-16 62+ kg titles respectively.

Khan, who also had a silver medal to show for his efforts when he contested the men’s under-21 79.4 kg MMA category, flew the flag high for his country to become the striking MMA world champion. In the striking MMA category, Khan edged teammate Joshua Cooper into second spot. Cooper also got on the podium on another occasion when he claimed bronze in the men’s under-21 83.9kg MMA category.

The younger members of the TT contingent weren’t to be left out, and Denahi Gustav certainly showed his quality when he captured a pair of silver medals in the boys’ under-12 42kg and 46kg categories respectively.

In the boys’ under-10 age group, Elijah Cudjoe got silver in the 38kg weight class, with Johnmark Baboolal getting a silver medal of his own in the boys’ under-10 30kg division.

Sonia Baboolal was also a silver medallist at the games when she fought her way through the girls’ under-16 50kg category.

Kai-el Grant (boys’ under-12 30kg) and Chedon Grant (boys’ under-16 54kg) both bagged bronze medals, along with Eli Jackie (boys’ under-16 50kg) and Kaylon Khan who fought valiantly to land a bronze medal in the boys’ under-18 79.4kg category.

Mixed Martial Arts of TT president Adam Chin Leung Kam hailed the team’s 14-medal haul as a “historic milestone for TT in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts” and a “testament to the talent, discipline and determination of our athletes.”

The TT contingent was scheduled to return to Trinidad around 2 am on June 25.

TT medallists at GAMMA World Championships

Gold:

Alex Khan – men's under-21 83.9kg striking MMA

Renee Fortune – girls' under-16 62kg

Silver:

Johnmark Baboolal – boys' under-10 30kg

Sonia Baboolal – girls' under-16 50kg

Joshua Cooper – men's under-21 83.9kg striking MMA

Elijah Cudjoe – boys' under-10 38kg

Denahi Gustav – boys' under-12 42kg and boys' under-12 46kg

Alex Khan – men's under-21 79.4kg

Bronze:

Joshua Cooper – men's under-21 83.9kg

Chedon Grant – boys' under-16 54kg

Kai-el Grant – boys' under-12 30kg

Eli Jackie – boys' under-16 50kg

Kaylon Khan – boys' under-18 79.4kg