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Panamanian athlete Jennisín Rosanía has etched another golden chapter in the nation’s sports history by winning the World Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Championship for the second consecutive year. The event took place in Las Vegas, Nevada, under the auspices of the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF), the sport’s most prestigious organization.
Competing in the black belt category, Rosanía highlighted the significance of this historic achievement for Panama, noting that she had previously won the title in the purple belt category. “It was an effort, a lot of sacrifice, but yes, I am the first Panamanian to achieve this in the black belt category. I had also won it in the chocolate purple belt, but as a black belt, it’s the highest level achieved in Panama so far… and to win it back-to-back is incredible, I still can’t believe it,” she expressed emotionally.
The two-time champion revealed that the victory was particularly meaningful as she returned from a serious injury this year. “I came from a very serious injury this year, I had practically two and a half months to recover and train enough to come to the World Championship… all eyes were on me,” she said.
Regarding the level of competition, Rosanía emphasized the high technical skills of her opponents but noted that she dominated each match. “The technical level is very high among the athletes in this federation, and yes, it was difficult… the good thing is that none of them scored a point against me, I went in zero points against… everything was perfect, I still can’t believe it was so perfect,” she mentioned.
Rosanía won three matches in her division, which had 14 athletes. The final was against Kristi Russell. In total, 12,500 competitors participated in the tournament.
Reflecting on her preparation, Rosanía acknowledged the crucial role of her team and coach, Eduardo Grimaldo. “I’m really grateful to Atos Panamá, the academy where I train… always looking at what I’m weak at to improve it, what I’m strong at to keep evolving. The training was very intense, many sacrifices, many tears, injuries, pains, but I never missed a training session,” she acknowledged.
Looking ahead, Rosanía remains focused on her future goals, both as an athlete and as a coach. “Well, I think there are always options if I want… there are other big tournaments I also want to attend. I will never stop training… as a coach, I also have goals, there are many young students coming in, they are the new generations, who, in fact, we didn’t have that opportunity,” she concluded.
With this new title, Jennisín Rosanía reaffirms her place as a pioneer of Panamanian jiu-jitsu and serves as an example for future generations.
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