Amidst the bustling atmosphere of Singapore, enveloped by resounding cheers and applause, Team Carpe Diem emerged triumphant at the Singapore Jiu-Jitsu Open 2024 by BJJ Roots. Brimming with pride and fueled by exhilaration, every member of Team CD displayed unwavering commitment and perseverance, culminating in a remarkable victory etched in the annals of sporting history.Â

Let's revel in the astounding results that YOU helped us secure:
🥇 1st - Overall Team
🥇 1st - Team Adults
🥇 1st - Team Masters
🥉 3rd - Team Kids
If you missed the excitement, we summarised some memorable moments on the competition mats. With pictures and videos, of course.Â
Adults
First up was the Adult white belt Featherweight division. With five out of 10 competitors in this weight category hailing from CD, the team effort helped us monopolize the podium, with Yi Xuan winning Andre in the Finals by points.

The Dad of a newborn, Poh Shen, showed a strong showing in the Adults and Master 1 white belt Lightweight divisions with four wins out of 5 matches. He secured a Gold Medal in the adult division but narrowly missed the Gold in the Masters 1 division to settle with a Silver.

Poh Shen, Adults & Masters 1, White Belt, Lightweight, Gold & Silver
Over in the Adult blue belt Roosterweight division, Justin throws his opponents into oblivion and brings home the gold medal.

Justin Chia, Adults, Blue Belt, Roosterweight, Gold
Competing in the Masters 1 purple belt Medium-Heavy division, Coach Daniel submits his opponent in a minute with a bow and arrow choke to win the Gold medal.

Daniel Laksana, Masters 1, Purple Belt, Medium-Heavy, Gold
In the female category, Kayleigh once again secures herself a gold medal in the Adult blue belt Lightfeather division. We reckon her room must look like a goldmine from all the gold medals she's collected throughout her competitive career. And, she's not done yet. Watch out, girls.

Kayleigh Lim, Adults, Blue Belt, Lightfeather, Gold
Special Mention goes to our Beginner Course January intake graduate, Orhun Timurcan Ozcelik. With only 2 months of training under his belt, Tim brought home a silver medal with 1 win out of 2 matches. Excellent job, Tim. We're impressed.Â

Orhun Timurcan Ozcelik, Adults, White Belt, Middleweight, Silver
Kids
Over in the Boys' white belt division, Augustus submits his way to Gold with 2 wins out of 2 matches and zero points scored against him. Prof Aacus awarded Augustus his Grey-White belt, and we say he deserves the upgrade. Congrats!Â
Augustus Wong, Kids, White Belt, 30.4 - 33.3kg, Gold
In the boys' division, Avery challenged himself in the grey belt under 24kg division and the 24.1-27.2kg division. Despite his valiant efforts, Avery secured victories in four out of six matches, narrowly missing out on the top spot in both weight categories due to the referee's decision in the finals. Although Avery walked away with two silver medals, he received his Grey belt from Prof Aacus shortly afterward. Congratulations, Avery!
Avery Tan, Kids, Grey Belt, <24kg & 24.1 - 27.2kg, Silver
With Coach Nevash guiding her every step of the way, Sai emerged victorious with two wins out of two matches, securing the Gold in the Girls' grey belt division.

Sai Ameya, Kids, Grey Belt, 30.2 - 33.2kg, Gold
Lastly, the owner of the Fastest Submission Overall title belongs to Hakeem Azhar. Hakeem clinched his first Gold medal with a lightning-fast Kimura submission in just 10 seconds. It was adorable seeing his excitement overflow when he realized he had won. Way to go, Hakeem!

Hakeem Azhar, Kids, Grey Belt, >48.4kg, Gold
Nogi
Like Ferrari's battle with Mercedes for the second position in the constructor's title (watch S6E10 of Drive to Survive on Netflix), our team faced a fierce rivalry with another gym for the top spot in the Overall Top Team standings. Team Carpe Diem needed to secure one more Gold Medal to maintain our first-place position. Jerende stepped up to the challenge and ultimately helped secure our team in the top spot.
Jerende had plans to participate in the White Belt Gi Absolutes division. However, as no other competitors registered for the Gi absolutes, he opted to enter the white belt Nogi absolutes category instead. Remarkably, Jerende emerged victorious in all three matches, culminating in a highly intense final bout where he secured the Gold Medal.

Jerende Teoh, Adults, White Belt, Nogi Absolutes, Gold
Conclusion
It's tough to put into words just how proud we feel when we think about what our team has achieved. Every win and every nod of recognition is a testament to the insane amount of effort, sweat, and determination our team poured into every training session and prep moment. Whether we were grinding it out in the gym or battling it out on the competition mat, our team showed some serious grit and determination, embodying what martial arts is all about.
In closing, our journey at the Singapore Jiu-Jitsu Open 2024 has been nothing short of extraordinary. We commend every Team Carpe Diem member, whether they emerged victorious or faced setbacks along the way. Every participant contributed to our success with dedication, courage, and sportsmanship. As we look back on this incredible experience, we express our gratitude to all who supported us along the way. We are ready for our next challenge.Â
Carpe Diem—let's seize the day and make every moment count.