Schoolgirl Taya Jones from Gillingham has become a European champion at a jiu-jitsu championship in Lisbon.

Taya, aged 11, who attends Gillingham School, won gold at the European Kids IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2024 held in the Portuguese capital at the weekend.

Speaking after the final, in which she beat a Brazilian opponent, Taya said: ‘I didn’t think I was going to win when we watched some of the other matches, the kids were really talented. I was really happy to get to the final and the girl I was against was really strong.’

She added: ‘I decided to do a move I had only practised in training and it worked as I got an arm bar [editor’s note, one of the submissions allowed in the kids division] straight away and the girl tapped. I was really happy to win and make everyone proud, especially my coaches.’

Her proud mother Danielle said: ‘Taya fought hard and used all her skills to win the final. She’s now a European champion.

‘The future is looking bright and we would love to get her to the European championships next year at the next division and the World Championships within the next three years.’

Danielle says that at the age of eight Taya had originally wanted to get into wrestling after seeing the sport on television.

‘I thought she was crazy to be honest as she’s always been small and slight but she was determined,’ says her mother.

‘We researched our nearest wrestling school but it was too far away so after having a look on Google we discovered a jiu-jitsu school in Frome. We didn’t know anything about jiu-jitsu but Taya was game to try it!’

Danielle added: ‘From her first lesson she was hooked. She absolutely fell in love with it and picked it up very quickly.’

Taya now trains six days a week, juggling her time between the sport and her schoolwork and friends.

But it was her introduction to events that really fired Taya’s enthusiasm for the Japanese martial art.

‘She absolutely loved the competition side of the sport and that was the start of her journey,’ explains her mother. ‘Within the last three years she has levelled up five belts and competed nationally almost every weekend. She has been a British Champion at white belt and has won other big competitions nationally such as the elite Junior international and the elite junior worlds, the elite junior Europeans and the Compnet Nationals.’

Danielle said they decided to try to take Taya to the Europeans in Lisbon for the experience. ‘We wanted to test her jiu-jitsu skills against girls across the world,’ she says.

The family started a GoFundMe page and managed get some sponsorship.

Danielle says she particularly wants to thank Gillingham accountancy and bookkeeping firm TS Accounting South West for their help in funding the trip. ‘Their support allowed Taya to compete in such a prestigious event,’ she says.