23/08/2026
JJIF World Cup🥇2026 {day 1 comp in zadar, croatia}
happy with my gi performances | played my game, from closed guard, to de la riva, to spider guard, with some pressure passing, and wrapped it up with a triangle arm bar 🧡
outside of these special, but short-lived medal/podium moments are the many things leading up—including the whole training camp (comp training, technique studying, troubleshooting etc) precious conversations & debriefs with friends & coaches 🥹, the meal planning to ensure proper fuelling/recovery while cutting weight, the frantic text messages with friends who would hear me out + help me reframe whenever I started to doubt myself, adjusting to the new environment & time zone, and much more. The behind-the-scenes don’t really get captured, but they oftentimes include the most valuable moments that shape the person you are becoming.
Shoutout to Ethan David Wong for solid coaching at the World Cup 🥹, Nathan Dos Santos for helping me refocus and strategize before my final match, and Kesia Lozada for being the best travelling partner, cheerleader, & friend I could ever ask for. 🧡