BUDE’S mixed martial artist, Adam Trace, has had it tougher than most over the last few years but is determined to raise enough money to enable him to compete in the WCJJO (World Council of Ju-Jitsu Organisations) World Championships in Queensland, Australia, in October, writes David Sillifant.

In 2012, at the age of 17, Adam lost his father and mother in the space of three months from Motor Neurone Disease and adrenal cancer respectively, while three of his grandparents have also passed away in the last few years.

However, Adam has found solace in the world of mixed martial arts, and is now part of Team GB’s ju-jitsu squad, which will compete Down Under from Thursday, October 26 to Sunday, October 29.

Adam admits that he’s been grateful for what combat sports have given him during an extremely difficult time in his life.

Adam said: “When all of the stuff happened to do with my parents and grandparents, MMA was one of the only things I had to help release stress. It was a chance to take your mind off it for a little while and it has kept me going ever since.”

Since the deaths of his loved ones, he’s had to rely on friends and their families for a place to live, but has managed to stay strong and forge out a good life for himself.

He studies human biological sciences at Plymouth University (although he is based at Petroc in Barnstaple), teaches gymnastics at Holsworthy Community College, is a personal trainer at The Unit gym in Bude and has excelled in a number of other fighting disciplines, most notably boxing, Muay Thai and MMA.

Adam first went along to Bude Gojuki Jitsu Ju-Jitsu at the age of 12 under the tutelage of Tony Curtis before starting to learn MMA at the age of 15. Since then he’s continued to spend many hours at the gym training and working.

Last year, Team GB came down to Bude to put on some sessions, where he and a number of other local ju-jitsu stars, including twins Liam and Dan Smith and Martin Edwards, were all invited up to Dunstable to train with the squad.

They all impressed the coaches significantly to earn a place on the team and since then it’s been all hands to the pump for Adam as he tries to combine education, work and training.

Adam said: “Ever since my parents passed away I’ve tried to keep busy and do a lot of different things. In January 2014 I went travelling for a year around South East Asia and New Zealand to get away for a while and it was great.

“Since then I’ve gone to uni to study human biological sciences and I also work as a personal trainer at The Unit, Bude and as a gymnastics teacher at Holsworthy Community College so my life is incredibly full on right now but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

But despite his incredible journey, ju-jitsu competitors don’t receive any funding at all, meaning they have to raise the £3,000 required to go to Australia themselves.

Adam said: “These competitions are self-funded, and therefore very expensive for a student in full-time education, especially seeing as my parents passed away, leaving me to have to work two jobs to fund my everyday living and rent.

“None of us like asking for people to donate money to us, however, any spare change that you may have would go a long way towards covering the expensive costs of travelling and staying in Australia.”

Adam has so far raised nearly half of the total but knows that he still needs more.

“I’ve been given a lot of donations and we’ve also done some fitness fundraisers while I’ve also received some phenomenal support from local businesses, friends and family, but I still need more so I’d be extremely grateful to anyone who can help.”

Adam will fight in the under 82kg category in the main sports and team ju-jitsu events, and is confident of achieving success at the Tallebudgera Leisure and Gold Coast Recreation Centre, which is an hour south of Brisbane.

Adam said: “The World Championships mean everything to me. It’s a massive incentive to go out there and make my parents and grandparents proud. I’m training as hard as I can twice a day to make sure that I’ve got a chance of winning a gold medal.

“To be honest I don’t know a great deal about the competition that I’m going to face, but I know it’s going to be extremely tough, but I’m training incredibly hard to make sure that I’m ready to go and get gold. I want to bring back some medals to Bude!”

For further information and to support Adam, visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/adam-trace