OVER 500 youngsters were competing at the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu British Championships in Coventry, but Gracie Barra Bradford still walked away with a gold medal.

Lucas Smith, one of the club's more experienced competitors after years of jiu jitsu and Thai boxing, was clinical in forcing two submissions to stand on top of the podium.

Not only that, but he also consoled his victims and helped his Gracie Barra clubmates to warm up.

The Bradford club also gained two silver medals and two bronzes.

Sa?a Paterson, who won the Junior Nationals in March, had to move up an age category, but only lost narrowly to a European champion, and Gracie Barra's other runner-up was Evan Duncan, who gave a string of outstanding performances in a division that was as tough as any that a club member had ever faced.

Best match of all was his epic semi-final, where he secured a late submission victory, and even his defeat in the final drew admiring glances from the event organiser.

Junior national medalist Logan Smith, brother of Lucas, survived pre-competition nerves to win a bronze, while Karter Paterson, brother of Sa?a, also won bronze after convincingly winning his first bout and making a small mistake in his second.

Hayden Quirke, who was competing against youth squad opposition, and fellow debutant Riley Kelly, who was moved up a weight division, both showed their potential.

The next competition for Gracie Barra Bradford is an inter-club event at Richard Dunn Sports Centre today, with many of the combatants taking part in their first competition.