Marilyn Cruz golden in Pan IBJJF No-Gi Championship

NMI daughter Marilyn Cruz is once again golden in the sport of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, this time in the Pan IBJJF No-Gi Championship 2023 in Fort Worth, Texas, which was held from Sept. 29 to Oct. 1.

Cruz, a brown belt, won not one but two gold medals. One was in the light-featherweight division and the other in the open-class division.

She defeated Sarah Margaret Clark via a triangle choke in less than a minute in the light-featherweight division.

In the mixed-weight open division, Cruz took down two competitors via points scored. Second place in that division went to Kelsey Lynn Harrell; and tied for third place were Jasmin Julia Medrano and Clark.

The 30-year-old Cruz said she competed in the open division to get more matches in. The open division was open to all competitors who placed in their respective divisions, which meant that Cruz matched up against medalists in other weight classes at the brown belt level.

This championship is second to the World Championships for Jiu-Jitsu competitions. No-Gi is essentially grappling without cloth to grip like in Judo or Gi Jiu-Jitsu.

She recently won gold in her division in the 2023 World Master IBJJF Championship in Las Vegas, Nevada, which was held from Aug. 31 to Sept. 2.

Up next for Cruz is the ADCC North American Trials on the East Coast, on Oct. 14 and 15. It is a tournament to qualify for the ADCC championships in 2024 (55-kg weight class, mixed levels).

Then at the end of the year on Dec. 9, she is competing in the No-Gi World Championships to fight for the IBJJF World title. “All these comps bring in high level competitors from around the world. I am excited to get in there and challenge myself,” said Cruz.

She then thanked everyone back home who watches and supports her. “I’m hoping that I can spread motivation to the youth and especially those in Saipan who have dreams to do something with all their heart,” she said.

“Huge thank you to my sponsors back home who support local athletes! They make it possible for me to compete and get my name noticed in a sport with thousands of competitors. Lone Fox Bistro & Lounge, Guam Nutrition and Fitness Coach and Project Row!” she added.

At age 24, Cruz started jiu-jitsu and currently trains under the tutelage of Baret Yoshida from Team Baret Submissions at The Training Center, San Diego. She’s been training with the same team for six years.

Cruz graduated high school in 2010 and college at the Northern Marianas College in 2013. She left for San Diego, California in 2015 and still resides there today.