Our Year 9 learner, Sien, recently achieved an incredible milestone by representing Singapore at the Ju-Jitsu World Championships in Greece! Competing in the Under-14 category, Sien’s journey reflects her unwavering dedication, resilience, and passion for her sport.

As a further honour, Sien had the privilege of carrying the Singapore flag as the team’s flag bearer during the opening ceremony, a moment filled with pride and inspiration.

We caught up with Sien to hear about her remarkable experience on the world stage.

Congratulations on representing Singapore at the Ju-Jitsu World Championships! Could you share your ju-jitsu journey with us?

I only started ju-jitsu two years ago. My mum wanted me to learn self-defence and signed me up, but I ended up growing a strong passion for it and realised this could be my sport. So I started to train harder and was able to reach this standard.

I was originally in the Kids Competition class but progressed to the Adult Competition class, so I now train and fight with adults. I am currently a grey belt.

Could you share more about the selection process? What steps did you have to go through to reach this level?

I met representatives from the Singapore team at another gym, and they spoke to me about the process of how to enter the Singapore team.

I trained my hardest with my gym’s competition team and also received extra training on the side to prepare me for the competition.

I then had to fight in a selection round to be informally assessed, got the gold, and was selected to represent Singapore at the Ju-Jitsu World Championships!

This was my first time going to Greece, and it was very cold. There was also a strict training schedule. We started training at 6 a.m. and followed this with a run by the beach. The afternoon included drills and practising techniques. We also went to different gyms to observe other fighters and learn from their techniques. The gym Human Chess was also very nice to us and allowed us to train in their gym before they officially start classes.

What I’ve found as a ju-jitsu athlete is that different countries focus their athletes on different aspects of ju-jitsu. It was interesting to see this in person at the competition. For example, in Singapore, we focus on the bottom, but in Greece, they focus on the top.

This is all part of the art of ju-jitsu, as you have to adapt to your fighter’s style and techniques.

What was it like competing against the world’s best in your category? Were there any moments that stood out?

It was so much more stressful because countries were waving their flags, you could hear the audience singing national anthems, and there was shouting in different languages.

It’s an exciting and energetic atmosphere, but at the same time, you are very nervous.

I really liked the part where, if you won, it was like the Olympics. You go on the podium, and they play your national anthem.

I made it through three rounds against competitors with higher belts and many more years of experience.

I think something that impacted my performance was that I was sick with a fever and an infection the day before my fight. Even though I managed to recover, I could have definitely done better.

What has been the most challenging part of your ju-jitsu journey so far, and how have you found ways to overcome those challenges?

Really improving and refining my techniques, especially when training with people who are more advanced and bigger than me. The only way to get into the competition classes was to beat them, and I had to go through a lot of pain and hard work to get to that level, which was challenging.

I overcame the challenge through support from my parents, peers, and Mr. Luke (my form tutor last year). He really supported me through the hard times. I wanted to quit, but he really encouraged me and told me to push and persevere. And now I have pushed to this level.

How has Nexus supported or influenced your journey in sports? Is there anything that has impacted your growth as an athlete?

Whenever we are in the auditorium on Friday and I see the Nexus sports champions, they inspire me to do better and push. My peers always support me, and they are always coming to my competitions and training sessions.

During my second competition, all my friends came, and this is when I got my first gold. Their support really helped me and pushed me through the hard times.

Looking forward, what are your goals in ju-jitsu? Do you have specific milestones or achievements you’re aiming for in the next few years?

This January, there is a qualifier round for the Singapore team, and I might go for that. If I make it, the next big competition will either be in China or Thailand for the World Championships 2025.

I also want to keep training to get my black belt.

Could you tell us about the honour of carrying the Singapore flag at the opening ceremony? How did it feel to represent Singapore in that way?

Oh my goodness, yes! I remember walking up the path, waving the flag high, and hearing the Singapore team cheering. It was a wave of pride, and I almost cried tears of joy. I was proud that people could see the flag and that Singapore sent a team there. It was amazing to stand with all the other flags and represent my country.

Is there a particular lesson or value you’ve learned through ju-jitsu that has changed how you approach other areas of your life?

I think the first thing I had to learn was respect—respecting other people on the mat and having to be fearless when you fight. You have to set aside your nerves.

As I got higher up in the ranks, I learned to be humble. I was once at the start of my journey, and I still learn new things from more junior fighters.

Finally, resilience seems essential for any athlete. How do you define resilience, and how has it shaped your journey as a national athlete?

Resilience starts with trying something for the first time.

When you reach challenges and losses, you feel like you can’t do anything, reaching that plateau. Resilience is overcoming these feelings not just by yourself, but with support from others. And the feeling when you overcome a challenge—you should use that to inspire you to move further.

You need to use resilience to push forward to prove yourself to others that doubted you and also yourself.

I want to thank my parents for letting me start this amazing journey. They have to drive me all around Singapore, which takes time and effort. I want to thank them for giving me this opportunity and for their support. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be here as a national athlete.

Right after this, I’m going to a three-hour training session!

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Sien’s journey is a testament to the power of resilience. She has overcome challenges, embraced the hard work, and continues to push forward with determination. Her success at the Ju-Jitsu World Championships shows that with the right mindset and support, even the biggest goals are within reach.

We’re incredibly proud of Sien for representing Singapore and inspiring our Nexus community with her strength and perseverance. Congratulations, Sien, this is just the start of an extraordinary journey!