Durban’s Dave has sights set on gold
Dave Verster jets off to America next week ready to bring home the gold in the Pan American Jiu-Jitsu Championships next month.
BRAZILIAN Jiu-Jitsu fighter, Durban’s David Verster will once again be heading out of South Africa to make an international name for himself, this time at the Pan-American Championship in the United States.
The Pan-American Championship, also known as the “Pan Ams”, is the largest Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournament in North America, held annually by the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation. The competition sees athletes from around the world vie for titles and usually attracts thousands of competitors in the different categories.
Verster has one thing on his mind and that is to bring back gold for South Africa, despite the competition being dominated by Brazilians for the past 18 years.
The 43-year-old runs Lions Den SA MMA in Glenwood and has been doing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu since the late nineties, when the sport was still new to the world. “I have a professional and amateur boxing background so had a lot of stand up experience and was fascinated by all sorts of martial arts including judo and wrestling. But the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu really impressed me because its not only strength but a leverage game, which is all about technique!”
Verster is confident of his abilities after participating in the World Grappling Champs in Poland in November 2012, where he made it to the semi-finals. “I like the feeling of being out of your home and having no pressure and fear – its a different mindset. Ricardo Liborio one of the MMA legends and head of the American Top Team, came to me after my fight and said he was blown away by me and asked that I come and train and compete in the USA!”
Verster will leave next week and spend a week at the Gracie University of Global Jiu-Jitsu where he will train and then spend time with friend and former South African boxer, Gary Ballard, before the championship on 9 February.
Verster believes he has a good chance of bringing home gold because he has been training non stop throughout the festive season with kettle bell and cross fit training as well as grappling, rolling and boxing to keep fit. “I’m going for gold, it may seem impossible but nothing’s impossible and I’m ready to pull a miracle. At my fitness level, other than HGH (human growth hormones), I’ve got the edge and I’ll be on my own with no coach, or friends in my corner and out of my home comfort zone!”
