July 20th, 2024GoFundMe for world champion title tilt
A GoFundMe fundraiser has been set up to help a young Clunes girl achieve her dream of becoming a jiu jitsu world champion.
And if her accomplishments to date are any indication, young Leiarnna Ferguson has a very real chance of doing just that.
The 11-year-old has been practicing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu since she was six, last year becoming a national and state level champion after discovering a personal passion for the martial art early on. Last year as a grey belt she ranked number one nationally in the Australian Federation of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
In her division she claimed the national championship and five individual state titles. This May Leiarnna claimed the first of the 2024 state titles, becoming Victorian State Champion in her newly promoted division of yellow belt.
Leiarnna’s goal now is to win a world championship at the biggest junior tournament in the world, the International Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation Pan Kids Championships to be held in Florida, USA over July 26-27.
“The world championship is the most prestigious competition in the world,” says Leiarnna who is also a grade six school house captain at Creswick Primary School. “I’d really like to win it. I’ve trained really hard. It’s a really big deal. Not many kids get the chance.
“It’s one of those sports where, when you step on the mat you know straight away whether you want to do it. It gives me a challenge and I enjoy it. I also like the friendships that you make along the way.”
Up until the end of last year Leiarnna had trained in Ballarat. But in December she was assessed by the most accomplished junior coach in Australia, with the recommendation then made to move her training base to G-Force Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Fawkner, Melbourne where she is now part of the Australian Elite Team.
With a shot at a world championship now firmly in her sights this move was necessary, however it has not been without its challenges.
Since January, Leiarnna has trained up to three hours a day, six days a week, meaning a lot of extra ‘Dad’s taxi’ driving for Leiarnna’s father, Jay Ferguson.
“The logistics and financial burden have been a nightmare to say the least, but her gains have been absolutely amazing,” says Jay, a single parent who also has two other primary school-aged children to care for.
“Leiarnna is the eldest of my children. I am a single father trying to do the best I can for my kids,” Jay says, as he discusses the decision to set up a GoFundMe fundraiser in an effort to help meet the travel, training and accommodation costs associated with making the championships in Florida.
“I own a lawn mowing and gardening business which I operate during school hours but business is pretty slow at the moment with the grass not growing.
“It’s been tough training at Fawkner, my work hours have been reduced as I need to pick up the kids early from school in order to be on time for training. The three additional hours of daily travel have had a significant financial impact.
“We’ve used all the money to chase her dreams and that’s why we’ve set up a GoFundMe to try and get that support because she really deserves a shot at the world title.”
Link: www.gofundme.com/f/leiarnnas-championship-fundraiser
Words & image above: Eve Lamb
