Newbarns pupil shines on world sports stage

A Newbarns Primary and Nursery School pupil has achieved outstanding success on the international sporting stage, securing runner-up position in the Newbreed World Jiu-Jitsu Championship in America.

Wyatt Fitzpatrick competed in the highly competitive under 30kg grey belt division for eight and nine year olds at the Orange County Convention Centre in Florida, one of the largest grappling events in the world.

The atmosphere was electric, with thousands of competitors and spectators across multiple mats watching top-level matches throughout the weekend.

The Year 4 pupil fought his way through a field of 26 elite competitors in his age and weight category, recording victories over opponents from Brazil, the USA, Russia, Japan, Colombia, Cuba, Puerto Rico and Kazakhstan.

Wyatt, who made it all the way to the final without a single point being scored against him, said: “In Jiu Jitsu you’ve got to stay calm under pressure and remember what you’ve learned.

“I just tell myself, ‘Don’t tap – you’ve got this!’ even when someone’s trying to choke me out or break my arm!”

Brazilian Jiu jitsu is an intense sport that is a demanding mix of physical skill, control and strategy, often described as a game of human chess played on the mats.

The final bout came down to a referee’s decision after going the distance with no points scored and no submissions, a result that underlined just how evenly matched the final was even with his opponent being from one of Americas top jiu jitsu gyms.

This latest achievement builds on Wyatt’s earlier success this year, including golds at the Elite BJJ Junior World Championships in July, the Elite National Championships in March & the NAGA England in June, all in highly competitive brackets.

Over the past 12 months, Wyatt has won an impressive 11 gold, 5 silver and 4 bronze medals, along with a prestigious NAGA Championship Belt. His results show not only remarkable consistency but also a determination to keep learning and improving every time he competes.

Wyatt is a dedicated member of the LOBO BJJ team, training and competing at the highest level of the sport. He credits much of his recent progress to the outstanding coaching at LOBO, particularly from his mentor Hayden Reay, a former Newbarns pupil and son of the head coach. Hayden has worked closely with him in one-to-one sessions over the past year, and Wyatt says he wouldn’t have achieved half as much without his guidance and support.

Victoria Fitzgibbons, Acting Headteacher at Newbarns Primary and Nursery School, which is part of South Cumbria Multi-Academy Trust, praised Wyatt’s achievements.

“Balancing high-level sporting performance with his schoolwork is no easy task, yet Wyatt manages this while learning new skills along the way.”

Wyatt’s father, Mark Fitzpatrick, said his family was incredibly proud.

“Wyatt did brilliantly. Taking part in this competition has allowed him to test his skills against competitors from around the world, and to come away with runner-up at this level is an amazing achievement.”

Share!