At 16, Okanagan teen has Brazilian jiu jitsu world in a chokehold: `She’s the person to beat

 By Aaron Hemens Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Nearly 10 years after first setting foot on a Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) mat, Lillian Marchand has amassed a resume in the sport that most competitors her age can only dream of. At just 16 years old, the Youth from Okanagan Indian Band is already a two-time World Jiu-Jitsu Champion, a two-time Pan Jiu-Jitsu Champion, a Brasileiro de Jiu-Jitsu Champion and a European Jiu-Jitsu Champion. BJJ is a self-defence martial art and combat sport which involves disarming an opponent by utilizing a series of artful moves to pin them to the mat, relying more on skill rather than strength or size. “I never had someone to look up to in jiu-jitsu from the Okanagan Indian Band, let alone Canada, so I want to be that…

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