IBJJF Austin Winter Open 2024 Review

The recent IBJJF Austin Winter Open 2024 tournament proved to be a highly competitive event, attracting a number of top competitors despite coinciding with the conclusion of the IBJJF European Championship. Among the standout performers was Mikaela Barros, who had an impressive showing, securing two default gold medals in the black belt super-heavyweight division, a gold medal in the no gi absolute division, and a silver medal in the gi absolute division. The only gold medal that eluded her was won by Kennedy Franklin, the middleweight gold medalist, who prevailed in the gi absolute division.

The men’s absolute divisions featured a diverse field of competitors, with Yan Paiva emerging victorious in the gi absolute division after also winning the middleweight category. The absolute bracket was especially challenging, as Cassio Costa, the super-heavyweight gold medalist, settled for a bronze medal, while Mateus Rodrigues, the heavyweight winner, took second place.

Other notable performers in the regular gi weight classes included Carlos Henrique and Welison Fernandes, who won the lightweight and light-featherweight divisions respectively. Additionally, Andreza Morais and Pedro Alex made strong showings, earning silver medals in the women’s featherweight and men’s ultra-heavyweight divisions respectively.

The men’s no gi absolute division was won by Gabriel Almeida, who also claimed the heavyweight title. Austin Oranday took home a gold medal in the medium-heavyweight division, while David Weintraub received a default gold medal in the featherweight category due to a lack of opponents.

Carlos Henrique, a prominent gi competitor, made a return on the second day, competing in the middleweight division and earning a silver medal. Overall, the IBJJF Austin Winter Open 2024 showcased the exceptional skills and determination of its participants, providing an exciting and competitive platform for top BJJ practitioners to showcase their talents.