Cannington-trained Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competitor Henrique Peres was narrowly defeated in his superfight at the Australian Brazilian Jiu Jitsu junior WA State Titles in Byford on Sunday, but he can hold his head high after taking his opponent to the limit.
Despite being at a disadvantage in terms of weight, age and experience, 12-year-old Peres, who trains at Cannington gym Legion 13, took his opponent Torez Carro to the limit.
Event organiser Damien Merrin said that it looked like the fight would be over early, with Peres caught in a triangle choke, however he narrowly escaped the submission attempt.
At the end of regulation time the judges couldn’t split the pair, with the referee ultimately awarding
Legion 12 junior coach Bernie Bishop said Henrique’s performance was just superb.
“He was fantastic, phenomenal,” she said.
“He had his gameplan, he was super-resilient and he left everything on the mat, he was inspiring.
“He was in a tough situation early on but he used a lot of pressure and he didn’t panic, he took his time and played it really smart.
“The referee made the right decision in awarding the bout to Carro, but Henrique has a bright future.
“He’s super-dedicated, he’s a very well balanced and humble kid, he’s got everything going for him.”
The event was also a success for Merrin’s gym, Canning Vale’s Innovative BJJ, taking home six gold medals, nine silver and four bronze.
