From Stavanger, Norway, Julia Mæle is one of Europe’s most dominate Brazilian jiu-jitsu athletes of her generation, contributing to her country’s reputation as a hotspot for high-level jiu-jitsu. 

Julia was introduced to BJJ relatively late in her teens, having been an equestrian athlete for most of her young life. Having received her first pony at the age of 10, she compete at the national level for nearly a decade. As she was winding down from that career, she was introduced to jiu-jitsu by a friend at the age of 19. As she notes, “Since we were working as securities in clubs, we were joking about we should know how to fight.” At first skeptical that she would like it at all, she was immediately hooked from the very first class, and has been training nearly every day since. 

An ACL injury as a blue belt dampened her motivation and nearly threatened her career. However, she made the decision to compete at the IBJJF Europeans, before surgery would force her off the mats for a while. Remarkably, she won the absolute weight division, receiving her purple belt on the podium. As she notes, “It was a very special moment for me and a big motivation to keep going through all the ups and downs this sport gives.” 

That understanding of the ups and downs in the sport has contributed to her notion of what a champion mindset is all about: “It’s not just about winning, but also taking the good things out of a loss. It’s working hard for your goals, being happy along the way, refusing to give up because of a setback, and taking good care and appreciating the people around you.”

Known for being a strong passer and a tenacious submission hunter, she has a particular passion for kneebars, especially in no-gi. Her love for the leg lock is rooted in its demand for finesse. “For me, it’s just very satisfying to get a clean kneebar, because just a tiny wrong angle and you will lose it straight away.”