Jimmy Lapointe achieved a big win at the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation’s Pan Jiu-Jitsu Championship in March 2015. His efforts were accompanied by fundraising for Nanaimo’s Men’s Centre — and the programs Jimmy says have helped him.
[Image: Jimmy Lapointe, left, with Robert Biernacki, right]
“The men’s centre has helped me so much during a lot of emotional stress that I’ve gone through and am going through with my separation and with my kids and just in life,” Lapointe told the Nanaimo News Bulletin. “They’re there for a variety of different reasons. It’s not just going through a separation – there’s other aspects of life that can cause a lot of stress for men and they’re there.” His I Heart Dads fundraising included several events leading up to his participation in the international championship.
Jimmy Lapointe (right) at Island Top Team’s gym [image by Greg Sakaki/Nanaimo News Bulletin]
Jimmy won four matches at the international tournament to win the gold. Island Top Team’s principal instructor Robert Biernacki told the Nanaimo Daily News that “with his technical, tenacious and gutsy performance, Jimmy became the first member of Island Top Team and I’m pretty sure also the first person from Vancouver Island to win gold at Pans.”
We speak with Jimmy Lapointe and Robert Biernacki.
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twitter, video
audio: #Nanaimo Jiu-Jitsu athlete wins big, helps local @TheMensCentre http://t.co/Pm3f9w18SO pic.twitter.com/T6RwLyIkJ3
— People First Radio (@peoplefirstrad) April 9, 2015
video | Jiu-jitsu athlete wins big while helping out #Nanaimo @TheMensCentre https://t.co/lu8f9HkvaB pic.twitter.com/nvBMv3q1Dh
— People First Radio (@peoplefirstrad) April 24, 2015