Four Greater Taunton area athletes medal at Pan Kids IBFF Jiu-Jitsu Championship

KISSIMMEE, FL— Four Greater Taunton area martial artists took home some hardware last weekend as they competed on the national stage.

Members of the Morselli Jiu Jitsu Academy in Taunton took part in the 2025 Pan Kids IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship at the Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee, Fla., from July 25-27, with hundreds of young athletes from across North and South America.

Taunton's Owen Leal led the way for the Morselli Jiu-Jitsu crew, with the 14-year earning gold in the Male Teen 3 Yellow Belt Rooster (98 lbs.) division. Raynham's Lila Lemanski, 12, came in second in the Female Teen 1 Grey Belt Light Feather (89 lbs.) division, while Norton's Asher Glover, 10, finished third in the Male Junior 2 Grey Belt Rooster (67 lbs.) division and Berkley's Vivian Morselli, 14, finished third in the Female Teen 2 Yellow Belt Middle (125 lbs.) division.

The Morselli Jiu Jistu Academy team is led by coach/owner Jair Morselli, who holds a fourth-degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and coaches Tyler Pimental and Leandro Lima.

Also competing in Kissimmee for the school were Anabela Faria, 10, of Middleboro; Logan Grande, 14, of Hanson; Lacey Miner, 15, of Wrentham; Joshua Nelson, 9, of Plymouth; Julian Nelson, 6, of Plymouth; Logan Rogers, 9, of Marion; and Uriah Schabowsky, 10, of North Kingstown, R.I.

The Morselli Jiu Jistu Academy is located at 60 Main Street in Taunton.

This article originally appeared on The Taunton Daily Gazette: Morselli Jiu Jitsu scores four medals at 2025 Pan Kids Championship