By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, June 8: Studio 23 BJJ, the first BJJ academy in Sarawak, set another milestone by hosting the inaugural and biggest Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) seminar in the region, featuring 4th-degree BJJ black belt Professor Adam Kayoom.
The two-day seminar, held on May 11 and 12, was attended by close to 40 participants and six black belts from across Malaysia and Borneo.
According to a media release today, Adam is a fourth-degree black belt under one of the most respected BJJ practitioners and educators in the world, coral belt Mestre Ricardo Liborio. He is also Malaysia’s first BJJ black belt.
The seminar was especially significant as it marked the occasion when Studio 23 BJJ founder Albert Lim, the pioneer of a dedicated BJJ gym in Sarawak at a time when the martial art was still finding its roots in Malaysia—received his black belt from Adam.
“We’re very honoured to be hosting such a high-calibre teacher and instructor as Professor Adam. We are also happy to have black belts from Canada, Sabah, and Brunei join us, as well as our studio friends and supporters who came from as far away as KL, Bintulu, Penang and Sabah to be a part of our official reopening.
“We would like to express our most sincere appreciation to all the black belts who flew in with their team—Prof Adam Kayoom, Prof Ivan Evetovics, Prof AJ Pyro, Prof Caly Furber, Prof Eazy Annuar and Prof Albert Lim— and KS representing the Malaysian Jiu Jitsu Federation,” said Norman Chai, one of the seminar’s organising committee members.
Studio 23 BJJ, formally located at Bormill Estate, moved to its present location at Queen’s Court at the end of November 2023. The studio currently has about 40 regular members, ranging in age from 5 to 60, attending regular, women’s only and children’s classes.
Chai noted that the Covid-19 pandemic dealt a tough blow to many martial arts schools, and it has taken time for them to regain momentum.
“So us moving to our new location is not just about a new beginning, but also symbolises us growing from strength to strength. We’re happy to be able to host seminars again, and we’re also looking forward to getting back into competition again as a way to test ourselves and share our love for BJJ,” he added. — DayakDaily
