Friday, April 11, 2008

TEAM IN RIO:


A wrestler among JJ fighters
It's already lunch time in Rio de Janeiro, and Jiu-Jitsu training at the headquarters of the BTT, in Lagoa, should have been over a while ago. GRACIEMAG.com, though, arrived right on time: team instructor Antoine Jaoude, wrestling medalist at the 2003 Pan-Ams and IFL fighter, is teaching the last few takedowns to a few fighters on the team, and, as he exits the mat, he agrees the next challenge without hesitation: to interview a group of blue belts on exchange in Brazil. “Wouldn’t it be best if I took a bath first?” asked Antoine.

The question makes sense, they aren’t your every day tourists. They are the personal security detail for Sheikh Mohamad bin Zayed Al Nahyan, military officers who’ve taken several training courses around the world, all so as to better protect the supreme chief of the UAE army and crown prince of Abu Dhabi. But we’re in Rio, What you talking about bath, the reporter tried to hurry things along.