Vernell Roberts: “Everything Clicked in the Final – the Grip, the Throw, the Pin”

At the 2026 Pan American SAMBO Championships, held July 9-11 in Alajuela, Costa Rica, American Vernell Roberts II claimed gold in the men's -58kg Sport SAMBO category. The victory marked a real turnaround for the American athlete – a year earlier, at the same tournament, his performance hadn't gone the way he'd hoped.

Right after the awards ceremony, Roberts shared his emotions about the win, spoke about the work he'd put in to fix past mistakes, and made sure to thank everyone who helped him get there.

The new champion couldn't hold back his emotions after the final match.

“It's a really great feeling. I showed a lot of emotion on the mat because last year, at the Pan-American Championships, I didn't do nearly as well as I wanted. So this time I came prepared better, added some new takedowns – just better in every way. And it showed in my performance,” said the athlete.

Asked about the toughest part of the tournament, Roberts admitted that the real challenge wasn't his opponents, but his own mindset.

“Honestly, the most difficult part is sometimes I just get in my own way. The problem I've had in the past is not being confident, right? Because I believe I have the skills, it's just a matter of being confident. In my finals match, I got my grip, did my takedown, got my pin. Having the confidence now to be aggressive is really big for me, 'cause I feel like I didn't have that last year. So that's the most challenging part, but I'm starting to learn how to overcome that,” he shared.

A special part of the conversation was reserved for words of gratitude to his family and coaching team.

“Thank you for all the support – my family back home, the Roberts, the Mitchells, my mom, my dad, coach Doug, coach Russell, coach Dema here, coach Bob. It means the world to me, 'cause it helps instill that confidence in me and gives me the motivation I need to create moments like this,” said Roberts.