The United States won three individual gold medals in the No-Gi Grappling competition at the FILA Grappling World Championships in Krakow, Poland, March 27.

Capturing gold medals were Dennis Prokopos (Milbrae, Calif./10th Planet Jiu Jitsu) at 65 kg/143 lbs. in the men’s division, plus women Grapplers Lisa Ward (Lacey, Wash./Victory Athletics) at 50 kg/110 lbs. and Jessica Aguilar (Coconut Creek, Fla./American Top Team) at 55 kg/121 lbs.

For Ward and Aguilar, it is their second career No-Gi Grappling World title. Ward was a No-Gi champion in 2008 and Aguilar was a No-Gi champion in 2009.

Prokopos was a silver medalist at the 2009 Grappling World Championships.

The U.S. also won four individual bronze medals, earned by:
• Zachary Makovsky (Philadelphia, Pa./Philadelphia Fight Factory) at 60 kg/132 lbs.
• Michael Kelly (Hebron, Ill./Gilbert Grappling) at 75 kg/165 lbs. 
• Tom LeCuyer (Plano, Ill./Atlas XT/Torres MA) at 70 kg/154 lbs.
• Tara LaRosa (Woodstown, N.J./Philadelphia Fight Factory) at 60 kg/132 lbs.

All four of the bronze medalists today were also medalists at the 2009 Grappling World Championships. Makovsky and LeCuyer were World champions, LaRosa was a World silver medalist and Kelly was a World bronze medalist.

One additional U.S. Grappler is continuing to compete, Mario Rinaldi (Port St. Lucia, Fla./American Top Team) in the Open division. We will update Rinaldi’s finish when available.

The U.S. was the World team champions in No-Gi and Gi Grappling for both men and women in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. in December 2009. 

Coaching the U.S. delegation will be Sheldon Marr of Aurora, Colo. and Shawn Sheldon of West Palm Beach, Fla., both who were members of the 2009 U.S. Grappling World Team coaching staff.

Updates will be provided when available.