Eloisa Crespo

Eloisa, we are honoured to welcome you to our community!  Congratulations on becoming  world champion in Jiu Jitsu. You are the first Spanish woman to win this title.  First of all, what motivated you to start learning Jiu Jitsu?

 Thank you very much. The pleasure is mine.

I started in 2013, and the truth is that it was a rather sad story that led me to this sport. My mother had died of cancer a short while before and one day after her funeral I was fired from work because I was absent to attend her funeral. I was left alone with my two small children and two brothers in a very complicated situation so one day, by chance, I met a friend who practiced Jiu jitsu and I told him that I would like to try. He took me and since that day I have never stopped training and it was something that helped me a lot at the time to overcome many things and today it continues to do so.

You also teach Jiu Jitsu,have you noticed an increase in the level of interest coming from women to start in this sport, especially in this region?

His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed is investing a lot in the future of the country so much that Jiu jitsu is present in all Emirati Male and Female public schools and in the army. It is a way to teach discipline, self defense, and to generally take care of both physical and mental health as well as psyche with all the benefits that Jiu jitsu brings and luckily there are more and more Emirati girls and women who practice and compete in this sport.

We believe that this achievement can be a huge inspiration to women in Jiu Jitsu around the world and will be inspiring more girls to get involved in this sport. What is your advice to them?

I would tell them that if they want to increase their self-esteem, their agility, and mental health and be prepared to know how to defend themselves. This is the ideal sport and can be practiced at any age. And for the girls who are already practicing it or are starting, I would tell them not to give it up because every effort has its reward since what differentiates us from the rest is the will to go on.

You are a teacher as well, Where can we reach you for future training?

 You can find me on my social networks or via email;

Facebook Eloisa Crespo bjj

Instagram: @eloisacrespobjj

You are an example of perseverance, now that you have won this medal, what is the next step from here?

Well, it will probably be in November, which I suppose will be the next 2021 World Cup since the one that was just held was the 2020 one since they had to cancel it last year due to the COVID pandemic, so I will continue working hard and hopefully God will help me to get my third medal.

Aside from a professional athlete, you are a beautiful Southern Spanish woman. Could you recommend some inspirational places in Spain and especially in Andalusia? 

Thank you very much!

Andalusia is a magical place, the food, the climate, the people, the joy … they will always make you want to return and will leave you wanting more and you cannot miss knowing The virgin beaches of Cabo de Gata (Almería) La Apujarra – Towns with a lot of charm and history (Almería-Granada), La Alhambra, Albaicin, Los tablaos flamencos (Granada), La Mezquita de Córdoba (Córdoba), Caminito del Rey, Las Cuevas de Nerja (Malaga) among many other places that inspire me.