FIL-AM siblings Solomon Xander Jose Gunthorpes and Saige Isabella Sara Gunthorpes will take their talent to the US as they compete in the New Jersey Spring Kids International Jiu-Jitsu Championships on June 21, 2026 at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in New Jersey.
“They started training with me in November last year and these kids have been really consistent. They’re built for competition and they’ve shown me they have the Cebuano fighting mentality,” Strive CCA head coach Lemuel Maglinte told SunStar Cebu.
Solomon is 10 years old, while Saige is nine.
The Gunthorpes siblings started their Brazilian jiu-jitsu journey late last year and trained under the tutelage of Maglinte, a Cebuano brown-belt, at the Strive CCA in Mandaue City.
They are a product of the kids program of Strive CCA, which is affiliated with Jiu-Jitsu Methods of world champion Rene Lopez.
Even though they have trained for less than a year, Solomon and Saige, whose mom is a Cebuana, have shown immense potential.
Saige captured a gold medal in the Kids 3 light-featherweight division, while Solomon bagged a silver and a bronze in the Kids 5 middleweight division in the recent Queen City International last May 16.
Maglinte, who only has a small team of talented jujiteiros and jujiteiras, is hoping that the products of his kids program will compete internationally and represent the country in international tournaments just like the Gunthorpes siblings.
“Filipinos have so much potential in jiu-jitsu and my goal is to train kids who can carry our flag in international events,” he said. / EKA
