June 13, 2023
In the race to reach the uppermost spot of the AJP ranking, GFTeam’s Marcos Carrozzino embarked on a true pilgrimage around Europe. The black belt conquered eight gold medals in 2023, with the latest one coming from the ADGS Rio de Janeiro, and the points he accrued have put him in second place in the federation’s overall ranking, behind only PSLPB Cícero Costha’s Leonardo Mario by 800 points.
Marcos’ turning point came about at the end of last year. Seeing the chance to run the AJP ranking, he adjusted his finances to raise the money he’d need to fly to the Netherlands, where he would start his tour in Europe. With many training sessions and tournaments under his belt, Marcos won his first gold in the Amsterdam International, which was soon followed by National titles earned in Croatia, Germany, Sweden, Austria, and Bosnia & Herzegovina. Before standing atop the podium in Rio, Marcos also took the gold at the ADGS Abu Dhabi, which shows that the black belt is keeping his momentum for this season.
«I really like AJP’s professionalism and the opportunity they give athletes to fight for our dreams», said Marcos. «I raised the necessary funds to tour Europe and stayed at the house of friends and people I met in the tournaments. I also traveled a lot by bus. From Bosnia to Amsterdam, it took 32 hours by bus. From Germany to Sweden, 24 hours by train and bus. I faced all those situations without losing sight of my goal, which is the top of the ranking.»
But if you think that traveling is Marcos’ only selling point, you have another thing coming. A diligent athlete, Marcos has sought to adapt his Jiu-Jitsu to the AJP’s competitive rules, with six-minute fights and points that can be decisive at the end of each fight. To that end, Marcos studied the AJP rules in depth and even worked as a referee to get a closer look at what other aspects he could improve in his game.
«I managed to adapt well to the AJP rules. I took their course and have been studying a lot to better adapt my fighting style to the goals I have within the federation. I’ve even worked as a referee to really familiarize myself with the rules. Even in lower graduation matches, the chance to observe specific situations in AJP Championships has been a nice addition to my knowledge and my game plan.»
On his most recent achievement, at the ADGS Rio, Marcos had the chance to fight in his hometown with the support of friends and family, a far cry from the prior months in which he would hear few cheers from the European crowds. With four difficult fights on his way to the title, the Brazilian athlete showed that he is well-equipped to reach his goal, no matter how big the tournament ahead of him is.
«Fighting at home is always more difficult. My parents and friends could see me fight, something that has not happened in a while. I had four very tough fights, I knew it would be difficult to face athletes of such a high level in my bracket. I focused on fighting strategically, without exposing myself too much, to guarantee the title and the points in the ranking. It worked.»
Now, Marcos will have a few days to plan the next steps of his journey to accumulate points in the AJP and reach the top of the ranking.
«I’m still planning what my next tournament will be, but the Asia Continental in Abu Dhabi and the ADGS Miami are in my sights. But since I’m already home, I’ll take the opportunity to rest a little, see my family, and recover from minor injuries to return even stronger in the next championship.»
