Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, gold medalist Reggio Emilia is a student in Australia

Reggiano on top of the podium for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, but in Australia: the strange story of William Cerdelli, twenty-two of Cerreto Alpi – A village in Reggio Apennines of the municipality of Ventasso – Became the first Italian in history to win a national sports title in Australia in the worldwide Brazilian military school, involving mostly ground combat. William has been in Australia since 2018 to attend Monash University in Melbourne where he obtained a dual degree in Economics and Philosophy: He has been practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for more than ten years, and before moving to Oceania, he won the Youth National Championships in 2013 and Bronze medal at the 2015 European Championshipsbefore stopping due to injury. Six years after the last race, William entered the state championships in Victoria – one of the Australian territories – and finished second and last weekend competed in the national championships and won the gold medal.

Stuck in Australia with the epidemic

I am very happy with this result after receiving the purple belt just a month ago. Thank you to all my team and friends who have supported me: I am fortunate to have an exceptional team and I am proud to represent my country in the sport I love, William told Gazzetta di Reggio. Success comes after complicated years, given that Cerdelli has not been able to return home due to the pandemic. William’s father, David, still resides in Cerreto Albe, who returned from Genoa to run the city’s sports club of about 350 members. He got a visa as a student – his father told ANSA – that he was able to participate regularly. After the playoffs in Victoria he won the state’s gold and we’re proud of him. Now William has a new challenge in mind: double daily exercises, mixed with the study of university texts, in order to participate in the world championships that will take place at the end of the year.