Five-year old Blossom Crosby from Middleton has won three Gold medals at the 2019 Elite Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Junior World Championships.
Blossom stormed to victory, winning all her matches without dropping a single point. The Junior World Champ secured a decisive win in each of her medal-winning matches through arm bar submission, a technical move which forces opponents to signal their surrender.
“I was very nervous before the competition because it is such a big event,” Blossom told South Leeds Life. “But after my first match I was excited about winning. I love doing BJJ, mixed martial arts and kickboxing because I have fun.”
The young athlete trains three times a week at AVT Youth Academy in Morley and at a gym in Pontefract on weekends. Her main coach is her father, professional MMA fighter Tom “The Viking” Crosby; along with Britain’s first female BJJ black belt, Helen Currie, and Thai boxer Louis Lee Scott.
“I’m so proud of Blossom,” says Dad Tom. “The World Championships is a huge and prestigious event, with over 1400 kids competing over the weekend. She even stepped up into a heavier weight category to win one of her events.
“She really enjoys training and competing, and it’s great to see her following in daddy’s footsteps.”
In recognition of her brilliant performances at the World Championships, Blossom was promoted to grey and white belt on 26 July.
The annual BJJ Junior World Championships took place in Wolverhampton on 20-21 July 2019.
