Great season close for 9 year old local Jiu-jitsu athlete.
2025 was a great year for 9 year old Zoe Mariani. A local Mapleton Jiu-jitsu athlete who has been featured in the Sunshine Valley Gazette's pages previously.
Last time Zoe was seen in this paper's pages was in April last year when she returned from NSW with a gold and a silver. She vowed to keep training hard to improve on the rest of the competition season, and that she did with results that were beyond her wildest dreams.
With the support of Head Coach Dean Liebenberg at Vermelho BJJ in Yandina and a lot of hard work Zoe finished 2025 ranked number 1 in QLD's QBJJC in the girls yellow belt category amongst all the competing girls between the ages of 7 to 15 years old. But she did not stop just at state level.
She also got ranked number 3 overall in Australia's ABJJF in the girls No-Gi yellow belt category as well as number 6 in the girls Gi Yellow belt with all the other 7-15 years old competitors around the country.
Zoe was also able to get a sponsorship from an Australian BJJ uniforms brand Braus, for which Zoe is now a junior Ambassador
The road to these ranking positions saw Zoe bring gold home from multiple State Championships, the most significant being finally becoming QLD State Champion in No-Gi after trying for it for two years prior.
"There were lots of ups and downs" Says Dean Liebenberg. "We have great victories that sometimes were followed by losses due to lack of concentration or not preparing enough before a competition. The worst being having to pull out of the nationals basically on the mat in the finals because Zoe developed an ear infection that she fought with in the semis."
Zoe also won the prestigious IFBJJ Pan Pacific Kids in Melbourne last October competing in the finals with athletes from Sydney and New Zealand.
"The takeaway here is to work hard. Whatever the results are on a given day mean nothing for the next competition. Zoe was able to overcome her challenges and build up on her successes. Hard work is always key. She was doing up to 6 sessions a week at some stages" said Dean.
After such a great national season Zoe and her family went to Auckland in the first week of December to try for the New Zealand National Championship and what a good decision that was! In New Zealand Zoe went 4-0 with 4 submissions to secure a double gold and return to Australia a double winner in her first international competition.
When asked how Zoe got involved in jiu-jitsu her uncle Will says: "Zoe is a very sweet natured girl and because of that some kids at school were being a bit mean. Instead of seeing her cry everyday I decided to give her the gift of self confidence and discipline. The greatest thing about martial arts is that they teach you to stand up for yourself and not fear others, which in turn means that you can make better decisions and avoid confrontations, because you learn that you have nothing to prove to anyone. After I enrolled Zoe in Jiu-jitsu, I decided to do it myself and shortly after my sister Liss, Zoe's mum, also joined so now it is a family affair."
"Vermelho BJJ is a great place to learn the gentle art." Says Zoe's mum Liss.
"They are located in Yandina and welcome people of all ages and fitness levels. There are ladies only classes as well as kids classes, plus early morning on three days a week so if you really want you can come for a trial. Just contact Dean on 0459696981 or look for the academy on instagram."
2026 competition season starts in February and Zoe is already training to see what is in store for her in the new year.
If you wish to follow Zoe's Jiujitsu you can follow the instagram account her family has set up @zoejiujiteira.
