A local native made a trip to Brazil last summer and came back with a gold medal.

Schenectady native Ryan Oropallo won a brown-belt level gold medal in the Men’s Senior 1 Division of the 2009 International Masters & Seniors Jiu-Jitsu World Championships in Rio de Janiero. Oropallo, 38, who now lives in San Diego, Calif., is a 1989 Mohonasen High School graduate.

The event was sanctioned by the International Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Federation and took place at the famous Tijuca Tenis Clube. According to Oropallo, it is extremely difficult for non-Brazlians to win a tournament of this magnitude. He said that Jiu-jitsu is nearly as popular as soccer in Brazil.

While in Brazil, Oropallo trained for the tournament with nine-time World Jiu-jitsu champion Ricardo Vieira, who owns and instructs at the Checkmat Team's Fight Zone in Copacabana, Rio de Janiero.

While competing, Oropallo raised $1,000 and donated it to the Cancer Ministry.