Nathiely Jesus. Luca Atalla/ Gallerr
Nathiely Jesus is living a special year in her career. After shining in Abu Dhabi and winning double gold at the Worlds, held in early June in California, the 20-year-old was promoted to black-belt on the podium by her teacher, Cícero Costha — the same who shaped the phenomenal Leandro Lo and Miyao brothers.
“Winning the Abu Dhabi World Pro as a brown-belt, competing with the black-belts, was a very good experience for me,” Nathiely told Graciemag. “I think that was what gave me the confidence to move up in rank competently and take on all the girls. This, really, has been a blessed year for me, the fruit of a lot of training and dedication. I hope to continue improving from now on.”
In her first competition as a black-belt, she won double gold at the American Nationals. Last weekend Nathiely again shone as she won the No-Gi Worlds, repeating the double-gold performance she had last year at brown.
“It’s an indescribable sensation to know that all the work I’ve been doing is paying off. It was my first Worlds at black, and, in so little time, I won this title… This will forever be an unforgettable day in my life,” she said.
Nathiely knows she is just getting started on a new journey, and mentions the 2017 IBJJF Worlds as her big goal: “I think, little by little, I’m achieving all my dreams, but I think my biggest dream of all is to be a world black-belt champion in the gi.”
