Mango-funded Broome Mixed Martial Arts trip to Perth reaps medal rewards ahead of State championships

A mango-funded Broome mixed martial artists trip to Perth has garnered 27 medals on its first weekend, with plenty more possible on the second week of competition. Broome Mixed Martial Arts took 11 competitors aged nine to adult to ATI Malaga on October 30-31 as a trial run before the State championships this weekend. Of those 11, eight medalled at the first event, most multiple times. BMMA co-founder Carolyn Armstrong said the tight-knit group had revelled in being able to compete against different people. “It is really nice to get all the families involved ... and see reward for all the efforts that their hard work and training has done,” she said. “Training in a more humid environment has benefits for cardio ... but one of the downsides is we don’t have many people to train with.” Club members raised money by mango-picking in Broome to help pay fees. TJ Anderson, 15, led with three gold models, one silver and one bronze before retiring injured. Mackie Brown, nine, had two golds and four silver medals in her first competitive event. Solei Arnott-Barker, 12, won gold in the breaking elbow and two silver medals. Damon Vomiero, 15, had a big meet, winning gold in the jumping high kick, elbow breaking and GI, and a bronze in the breaking side kick. Annabella Thompson, 13, and Anthony Pitt each won gold, while Tayla Vomiero, 14, and Josh Anderson, 16, claimed silver and bronzes Armstrong, Blake Glossop and Jaxon Pickering also competed but did not win medals.