Sittingbourne/Kent, England...American James Chico Hernandez, 53 of Washburn, Maine won the Silver & Bronze medals in the at the 2007 British Sambo Championship held March 24 at the Swallow Leisure Center in Sittingbourne.

Chico competed in the Open Class ( No Wt.Class) defeating Oktam of Uzbekistan 1-0 in the Quarterfinals. ( Chico is one of a handful of Americans ever to defeat a Russian or a former member of the Soviet Union in Sambo). He defeated returning Silver medallist Graham Mann of Norfolk, England by Total Victory in the semi-finals. Hernandez was leading 8-0 before he slam his opponent to his back while remaining standing for Total Victory. Chico was defeated by World Sombo Medallist and World Cornish Wrestling Champion Darren Richardson, Portsmouth, England 2-0 in the finals. Hernandez also won a Bronze medal in the Open Division.

"I thought before when I went over there that I was going to have a hard time making 90KG in the Open and they group everybody in the Vets (35 & over). Competing in the Vets it is not as easy as people would think it is".

" From my exprience You are fighting either professional instructors or season fighters who are no rookies at this. Just because someone is over 30 or competes in the Masters/Vets make winning the Division a peice of cake. There are very few cupscakes in competitions like these".

"The guy I lost to in the finals 2-0. I gave up a 1 passivity point and he capitolized on a crappy takedown attempt by me. I could of won this if my head was on screwd on right before the fight. Darrin Richardson is a Profighter in the Cage Rage /Cage Warriors. ( The UFC in Britain). He is a Big Boy with a lot of strength and he has won many different kinds of Martial Art Discipline Tournaments".

" Everybody commented on how well my level of conditioning is and was thru the tournament. They were telling me that it appears that conditioning is no issues for me. Before I went over I felt it was going to be a issue."

"I would like to Thank Marcus Davis and Team Irish for everybodys support. I though I did pretty good myself competing against some of the BEST IN THE WORLD!" " In the last three tries at the British Championships; I have fought the best the Great Nation of Great Britian had to offer". A Silver and a Bronze! Not bad at. 53! Chico won Brtish Silver in 2004 and 2005. Chico represented TEAM IRISH and the American Sombo Association.

In November 2006 at Sacred Heart University, Chico took a Silver at the NAGA North American Grappling Championships.

Since last June 2006; while Master Chico was representing the American Sambo Association and Team Irish; he has done the following:

British Sombo Vets Silver Medalist 2007
British Sombo Open Bronze 2007
NAGA North American Executive Expert No-Gi Grappling Silver Medalist 2006 CT.
NAGA North American Executive Int.Gi Grappling Champion 2006 CT.
NAGA New England Executive Advance No-Gi Grappling Silver Medalist RI 2006
MMA/RANKED National TOP NAGA Fighters of 2006; I was ranked 5th in NAGA NO-GI MMA/RANKED National TOP NAGA Fighters of 2006; I was ranked 10th. in GI,
NAGA NEW England Rankings 2nd. in NO-GI EXPERT ADVANCE VETS.
NAGA NEW England Rankings 2nd in GI EXPERT ADVANCE VETS
NAGA Number #1 in MAINE GI in all AGE Groups
NAGA Number #1 in MAINE NO-GI. in all AGE Groups

Master Chico is also the First Sambo Fighter to appear in CNN/Sports Illustraded "Faces in the Crowd " and to appear on the Breakfast of Champions Wheaties in 2002.

COMBAT WARRIOR E-MAGAZINE July 2007 / CombatWarriorMag.com