The European Storm
The IBJJF European Championship is always the ultimate test for the season ahead. This year in Lisbon, the atmosphere was electric and the “Together We Are Stronger” spirit was on full display.
A Historic Black Belt Debut: Sarah Galvao
This tournament marked a massive milestone for our family. Watching Sarah step onto the mats for her European debut as a Black Belt was a moment of immense pride – not just as her father, but also as her coach.
Sarah’s performance in the Lightweight division was technical, clinical and simply impressive. She fought her way to the finals and secured the Gold medal, proving she is ready to lead the next generation of Black Belt champions.
But the real story was her incredible run in the Open Class.
Sarah delivered two spectacular submissions on her path to the Absolute final, showcasing the aggressive, submission-hunting style we cultivate at HQ.
In the final the next day, she faced 13-time World Champion Gabi Pessanha. It was a tactical war that came down to a single advantage. While Sarah takes home the Silver, this performance sent a message to the world:
A new rivalry has been born… and the gap is closing fast.
Dominating the Colors: The Future of Atos HQ
The talent coming through our ranks in San Diego is undeniable. Our brown, purple, and blue belts showed that the future of the shield is in great hands:
- Brown Belt Absolute: A massive congratulations to Adrian Roberto and Natã Tenca for closing out the Absolute division together! Adrian took 1st and Natã took 2nd, while they also dominated their respective weight classes (Adrian with a Bronze and Natã with a Silver).
- Brown Belt Champions: Park Jaewoon looked unstoppable on his way to Gold, and Emily Leyva continues her reign, now officially a 3x IBJJF European Champion.
- Brown Belt Medalists: Shout out to Youness Bennouali for a hard-fought Silver and Luan Marques for securing the Bronze.
- Purple Belt Dominance: India Risby was the star of the purple belts, capturing the Double Gold in dominant fashion. Mia Montesino also climbed the top of the podium to become a European Champion.
- The Podium Finishers: Great work by Stuart Carmody (Silver) and Dania Silva (Bronze) for their podium finishes.
- Juvenile Stars: Our younger athletes are already making waves. Deborah de Castro C. Melo secured the Double Gold in the Juvenile 1 Blue Belt division, and Biatriz Silva de Carvalho put on a beautiful performance to take home the Silver.
Study the Tape
If you want to see the specific technical details Sarah used to secure her four submissions throughout the championship, FloGrappling uploaded an incredible video of all Sarah’s wins on the path to the Open Class and Lightweight Finals:
4 Submissions From Sarah Galvão On Her Path To The Open Class And Lightweight Finals At Euros
Together We Are Stronger!
Andre Galvao
