Summit Grappling Shines in Manchester

Summit Grappling Academy brought home a medal haul from Empire Grappling’s Northern Open tournament in Manchester.

Fresh off their recent victories at the IBJJF London Open Championship, the academy took a combined Junior and Senior squad to Manchester.

A total of 30 team members made the trip, with 13 competitors stepping onto the mats for both Gi and No-Gi matches.

They won six gold, five silver and four bronze medals.

Manchester Performances

The eight junior competitors competing were Theodore Sloane, Aden Dunkley-Nation, Alan Greenhalgh, Nathan Ferns, Iona Meban, Finley Quirk, Stanlagh Mayers and Luca Christian.

• Theodore Sloane (7 years old) competed in his first-ever tournament, proving to be a rising talent. He won his opening match 6-3 on points and secured victory in his second with an Americana shoulder lock submission, earning a well-deserved Gold medal.
• Aden Dunkley-Nation made a spectacular competition debut, displaying composure and skill. With two dominant victories (9-2 and 12-4), he claimed Gold in the Gi division against tough opposition.
• Alan Greenhalgh, one of Summit’s standout juniors, demonstrated his trademark control, securing Gold in Gi with two submission wins. Moving to No-Gi, he faced higher-ranked yellow belt opponents but delivered a strong 9-0 points win to take Silver.
• Nathan Ferns celebrated his biggest competitive success yet, taking Gold with two wins out of three, scoring 5-0 and 2-0 in his matches. His technical improvement and well-executed takedown in the final match were highlights.
• Iona Meban, a British Champion and experienced competitor, secured Bronze in Gi after a submission win in her second match, as she continues her journey toward defending her British title this summer.
• Finley Quirk, competing for the first time, put in a strong performance in both Gi and No-Gi. He secured a match win in each format, earning Bronze in Gi and Silver in No-Gi—an excellent debut effort.
• Stanlagh Mayers, an SGA Ambassador and recent IBJJF London Open competitor, delivered a solid performance in Gi, taking a 12-2 points victory in his second match to claim Bronze.
• Luca Christian narrowly missed out on a medal but delivered an electric performance, finishing his opponent with a belly-down rear naked choke submission in under a minute—a true showstopper.

Senior Highlights

Two of the highlights from the senior competitors were Rachel Kermeen and Sorrelle Williams.

Rachel, Summit’s sole adult ambassador, came into this competition determined after a narrow loss in her debut last November.

Her hard work paid off as she avenged a previous loss, winning her first match by decision.

She then dominated her second match from start to finish, securing a decisive victory via arm triangle choke to take Gold.

Sorrelle, another Summit parent turned competitor, was inspired by her son’s success and her teammate Rachel’s performance.

In her first match, she secured a points win before finishing her second bout in under two minutes with an Americana submission, claiming Gold and ending the day on a high note.

Summit Grappling Academy’s strong showing earned them the Third Place Team Trophy in Gi and Fourth Place Overall.