Chatham-Kent will be well-represented at the 2025 Jiu-Jitsu World Championships.
Thomas Armstrong, his daughter Isabelle, and Rain Pfaff have each qualified for the tournament set for this October and November in Bangkok, Thailand.
The Armstrongs earned their spot after competing at the Canadian National Championships earlier this month in Brampton.
Isabelle won gold in the U18 gi female -48kg category, while Thomas won silvers in both the gi and no-gi 45+ male -85kg categories.
"I was close to gold, I have to admit that," laughed Thomas when asked whether Isabelle had the better tournament.
This will be the second straight year Isabelle has qualified for the World Championships. In 2024, she competed in Greece and came home with a bronze medal. This time around, she's shooting for a different medal.
"Definitely gold, but we'll see," she joked.
Joining the Armstrong's in Thailand will be Pfaff. She has won at least one gold medal in each of the last three World Championships.
Thomas believes she's a one-of-a-kind.
"There's not many girls who have the strength that she does and the dedication that she does," he said.
At this time, Thomas and Isabelle are still contemplating whether they will compete. This is mainly due to the cost of traveling to Thailand.
