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Woohoo! Blue belter Filipina Margarita Ochoa won gold at the in the Blue/Rooster category of the World Jiu Jitsu Championship, an event organized by the International Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation.

The event gathered more than 100 athletes from across the globe at Long Beach California over the weekend, including our very own Ochoa.

Backed by Atos, an organization based in Brazil, Ochoa last year turned to crowdfunding to help raise enough money for her to be able to join the meet compete.

Crowdfunding, in case you didn’t know, is when you raise money from a big number of people or organizations. The internet, with sites like Kickstarter, Indiegogo, and our own Spark Projects, has made the practice common and convenient.

Ochoa went through crowdfunding not by joining these crowdfunding sites. Instead, she created makeachamp.com to help raise enough funding for her to attend the World Jiu Jitsu meet. Thankfully, she was able to raise a little over USD$4,000 for her airfare, accommodation, fees and food.

“I don’t know where to begin,” the athlete writes on Facebook. “It’s all still so surreal to me.

“Last year, this was all just a dream to me. I had no international competition experience, took a leap of faith, and crowdfunded my way to the world championships as a white belt through MAKEACHAMP.com. That marked the beginning of our shared journey.

“With the ultimate goal of being a world champion at every belt level, I made a promise to keep the dream alive as long as I live and to share with you all the struggles and triumphs along the way.

Now, WE won the gold in 2 out of 5 belt levels! OUR hand was raised yesterday at the worlds as a blue belt!”

We hear you, ma’am! Congratulations!

I don’t even know where to begin!It’s all still so surreal to me!First of all congratulations to all of our… Posted by Meggie Ochoa on Saturday, 30 May 2015

Photo: Margarita Ochoa/Facebook

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