
Three Maltese athletes from BJJTM earned podium finishes at the 2025 IBJJF European Jiu-Jitsu Open Championships, held in Lisbon, Portugal, in late January. The tournament, one of the world’s most prestigious BJJ events, attracted over 6,000 competitors.
Keith Darmanin made history as the first Maltese BJJ Black Belt to medal at this competition. Competing in the M4 64kg category, he won his opening match on points against a U.S. opponent before defeating a French competitor in the quarterfinals with a triangle choke submission in under a minute. In the semi-finals, he narrowly lost to Japan’s reigning champion, securing a bronze medal for Malta.
Owen Falzon and Kevin Sammut also earned bronze in their divisions. Falzon, competing in the Master Blue Belt M3 category, won two matches to reach the semi-finals. Sammut, the eldest active Maltese BJJ competitor, fought in the Master Blue Belt M6 division, showing determination before falling short in the semi-finals.
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