Only 7 years separate Sofia Veloso’s first jiu-jitsu class, 25, from the title of IBJJF (International Jiu-Jitsu Federation) World Champion and the current purple belt in the sport.
With a wonderful personal and professional trajectory, and after overcoming great personal challenges, Sofia needs sponsorships to continue competing. And, for the next competition, she receives support from Lotus, based in Brasília.
Sofia will compete this Saturday (13), at 6 pm, at the Centro Oeste Cup, in the championship of the Brasiliense Sports Jiu-Jitsu Federation (FBJJD), the largest federation in the Federal District. The competition will have fights on November 13 and 14 and has 1,300 athletes registered.
The competition is also part of the athlete’s preparation to compete in the largest Jiu-Jitsu championship in the world, the ADCC (Abu Dhabi Combat Club). She currently trains 6 hours a day with Master Renato and has already collected medals from the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Championship and countless other competitions.
A resident of Brasília since 2017, Sofia is always competing in the federations of the Federal District. “I participate in competitions, on average, 1 to 2 times a month, to always stay focused and prepared. But my goal is the IBJJF – International Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation – and ADCC – Abu Dhabi Combat Club championships, which will be in September 2022, in Las Vegas. My goal is to compete in the world championship every year”, says the athlete.
At 18 years old, in her first jiu-jitsu class, Sofia weighed 100 kg and was struggling with depression. Sedentary since she was a child, she says she was an anxious girl and that the sport changed all that.
“Jiu-jitsu is a key tool for living, breathing, existing. When I stop training due to injuries or other issues, I start to get depressed again, eat poorly, and not take care of myself. Jiu-jitsu maintains my emotional connection with life.”
The countless achievements in her 7 years as an athlete show that the challenges have given the young athlete even more strength, who dreams of flying even higher in the sport she loves so much.
To this end, she highlights the importance of support from companies like Lotus. “The sponsorships will allow me to always be fighting, especially on the international stage,” she concludes.
Support for the athlete is an initiative of the owners of Lotus, brothers Luiz Felipe Hernandez and Ruy Hernandez.
“We know how important it is to encourage athletes to achieve their goals and, in doing so, also put our country in the spotlight. As Sofia said, sports save lives. And that’s what we’re always talking about,” emphasizes Ruy Hernandez.
Luiz Felipe adds: “Lotus will always support initiatives that bring positive results for society as a whole. It’s gratifying to be able to participate. We’re rooting for Sofia to win this competition and achieve all her dreams in jiu-jitsu, a sport I also love,” says the owner, who is a practitioner of the sport.
Recently, Lotus, which has been in the market for 4 years, also supported a Footvolley competition in the Federal District. The owners guarantee that they intend to gradually increase their support for sports and other social and cultural initiatives.
