Asian Games medalist Constance Lien clinched the gold medal at the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) Jiu-Jitsu Championship in California yesterday, and in doing so, also made history by becoming the youngest Singaporean female athlete to ever win the title.
The Temasek Polytechnic alumnus left the world in shock after defeating Jaine da Silva Fragoso 8-3 in the final rounds of the competition.
“Becoming a World Champion has been my dream since day one, ever since I made the decision to commit to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Words aren’t enough to express how I’m feeling right now, but I just feel truly blessed and proud to have won and put Singapore on the map,” said Constance in a statement to the media.
The 19-year-old — who was named Sportsgirl of the Year at the Singapore Sports Awards earlier this month — has been training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at EVOLVE MMA for the past four years, after making a switch from the world of competitive swimming.
Lien found success in that sport, too, having won the 44th Singapore Sports School Council’s Individual Colours Award in the swimming category. She also did us proud when she bagged Singapore’s first medal in jujitsu at the Asian Games in Indonesia in 2018.
Constance, who has taken a gap year in her education to focus on her sport, will be taking part in the upcoming Jiu-jitsu Asian Championships in Mongolia later this summer, in July.
