Club lauds success at State titles

A team of martial artists from Renegade Karratha have returned from their first Brazilian jiu jitsu competition with a State winner in their midst and some new silverware for the club cabinet.

Six Renegade members were among about 150 competitors from across WA who attended the Jiu Jitsu Nogi State Championship in Perth last week.

It was the first time most members of Renegade, which specialises in jiu jitsu, had competed in any tournament for the sport.

Member Sharume Creed won gold in her division to become the reigning State Female Novice Master Nogi champion.

Renegade co-owner and team coach Camerin Coles said Creed had beaten her opponents through strong technique, showing how far she had come since beginning.

“When she first started with us, a little over two years ago now ... she didn’t feel comfortable getting on the mat and having a go,” he said.

“To see her go from that to two years later winning the biggest nogi competition in WA was incredible.”

Coles won silver in the Male Blue Open Weight Nogi division and claimed a bronze medal in his weight division.

He said he was proud of how well the whole Renegade team had handled the pressures of their first major jiu jitsu competition.

“For most people to compete is a real reward in itself. It’s such a hard thing to try and deal with the nervousness and anxiety,” he said.

“Most people don’t even win their first fight, so it was amazing for almost all the competitors to walk away with at least one win.

“They took away a lot of experience and knowledge from the competition.”

Renegade is planning to take another team to the other major WA jiu jitsu competition, the Gi State Championship, later this year.