The amazing Bungendore primary school students, Robbie Sanderson, 11, and his sister Sarah, 8, have won gold medals at the Abu Dhabi Jiu Jitsu World Championships.

Proud mother Alison wrote on social media that, “Bungendore is now home to two World Champion Jiu Jitsu athletes.

“Sarah and Robbie are also National Australian Champions, US Pan American Champions and now World Champions in Abu Dhabi.

“An amazing story of success in 2024 for two kids from the Aussie bush with big dreams to succeed on the world stage. I am a very proud mum today”

In July Robbie and Sarah won gold at the Pan Kids Jiu Jitsu IBJJF Championships – one of the largest Brazilian Jiu Jitsu kids’ events in the world – in Florida, US.

Robbie won a bronze medal in Abu Dhabi jiu-jitsu world championship last year.

“I work really hard, I train six days a week,” Robbie told CityNews late last year.

“You have to have a very calm mindset, it’s not like boxing where sometimes you can just go wild, you have got to be more calm and think more, it’s more technical.”

Brazilian jiu-jitsu focuses on taking an opponent down to the ground, gaining a dominant position and using techniques to force them into submission via joint locks or holds.

Robbie credits his dad for his love of the sport.

“My dad started jiu-jitsu when he was younger and it kinda just went through the family, I started watching it on YouTube and it looked really cool and I decided to start doing it and started training,” he said.

“We live on a farm and we train a lot at home. I learnt how to do takedowns on the goats.

“I have a couple of instructors now and I train in Sydney. I also train privately at home, and some instructors come to our house.”

Brazilian jiu-jitsu is not currently recognised as an Olympic sport, but Robbie said he would like to see that change.

“It’s very professional and I reckon it would do well in the Olympics. It’s very fun to watch, people throw-jumping, arm bars, flying things, it’s very interesting.”