Russell County’s Roy Takes Streak to Guatemala
Jacob Roy, a martial artist from Russell County, arrives in Santo Domingo Xenacoj this weekend to represent the United States at the World Sport Jujitsu Championships. Roy faces international competition in a series of bouts running from October 9–11. Late Wednesday afternoon, while waiting to board a flight from Miami to Guatemala City with his family, Roy expressed his perspective on the journey. As he heads into international competition, Roy says he takes pride in representing his hometown, Kentucky and the United States,
and added that he sees the world tournament as an opportunity to share God’s light.
Roy’s path to this level began just three years ago at Wade’s Martial Arts Academy in Russell Springs. He was encouraged to start the sport by his father, and Roy says he enjoyed the training from the beginning.
A Rapid Ascent Through the Ranks
Roy’s rise has been defined by consistency. Since beginning his training at age sixteen, he has maintained a regimen of twice-weekly sessions at the academy on Mondays and Thursdays, complemented by supplemental work at other facilities. He credits his success largely to a rigorous focus on cardio training.
That discipline paid dividends this year. Roy secured three first-place finishes, starting with American Sport Jujitsu League tournaments in Tennessee and Somerset, followed by a top finish at a national event in Virginia.
The Tournament Itinerary
Competition begins following weigh-ins and a rules meeting on October 8. Friday’s schedule includes a parade through the host city, opening ceremonies, and team-based grappling and combat sport jujitsu events. Individual competition for all age divisions follows on Saturday, October 10. The event wraps up Sunday, October 11, with gold-medal rounds and an awards banquet in Antigua Guatemala.
Preserving the Maynard Legacy
The championships are organized by the World Sport Jujitsu League, an organization founded to preserve the martial arts legacy of Professor Tony “The Bear” Maynard. The league promotes traditional jujitsu and continuous-action sparring, aiming to foster international connections among athletes. Beyond his athletic achievements, Roy is recognized in his community for his work at RJ, where local supporters have expressed pride in his international debut. We couldn’t be more proud of Jacob and all the hard work he’s put in to get here,
the establishment stated in a social media announcement.