Born into a family of fighters
Navajo Times | Sharon Chischilly
Khloe Slinkey, 9, holds her NAGA championship belt after class Sept. 28 at Megaton Gallup Jiu-Jitsu.
Khloe Slinkey has two golds and a 4-0 recorded run in jiu-jitsu
GALLUP
At 9, Khloe Slinkey is already learning how to steady her nerves, trust her training and finish a match.
Navajo Times | Sharon Chischilly
Khloe Slinkey, 9, gives her father, David Slinkey, her prize after class Sept. 28 at Megaton Gallup Jiu-Jitsu.
The young Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitor trains with Megaton Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu New Mexico and has won gold in her first two tournaments recorded by Jits.gg. The database lists Slinkey at 4-0, with each of those victories ending by submission.
Her latest wins came Sept. 26 at the NAGA Phoenix Grappling Championship, where she submitted Olivia Mullins in 58 seconds and Parker Voytoski in 1 minute, 39 seconds in the beginner 8-9, 80-90-pound division.
A month earlier, Slinkey won two matches at the NAGA Albuquerque Grappling Championship. She submitted Zoey Ramirez in 47 seconds and Johnanna Schwartz in 39 seconds. The four wins gave Slinkey two gold medals in the two tournaments recorded by Jits.gg.
Slinkey is Kiyaa’áanii and born for Áshįįhí.
To read the full article, please see the Oct. 1, 2026, edition of the Navajo Times.
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Highway 264,
I-40, WB @ Winslow