Amit Elor

Amit Elor stands as one of the most decorated grapplers of her generation, having claimed Olympic gold in women's 68kg freestyle wrestling at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Long before that historic victory, her relationship with grappling arts extended well beyond the wrestling room — she began training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu on and off from the age of 12, establishing a foundation that would deepen considerably into her adult career.

Elor holds a purple belt in BJJ, a rank that reflects genuine technical investment rather than casual cross-training. Her wrestling pedigree informs her development on the BJJ mats, providing a strong base in pressure, positional control, and physical literacy that translates naturally into grappling exchanges. In August 2025, she announced her engagement to BJJ competitor Mica Galvão, a pairing that has added a deeply collaborative and technical dimension to her ongoing grappling journey, with the two regularly training together.

A Deliberate Choice for the Gi

Among the defining elements of Elor's approach to BJJ, her explicit preference for gi training stands out. She cites the expanded technical landscape the gi provides — the added friction, the grip fighting, and the layered control it introduces — as central to her investment in the format. Her focus areas within gi grappling include lapel work and gi-based submissions, details that demand patience, precision, and a willingness to engage in positional chess rather than rely on athletic imposition alone.

This preference aligns naturally with the methodical, technique-first philosophy she carries from wrestling. Rather than leaning on the physical advantages her elite athletic background affords, Elor approaches BJJ as a technical discipline to be studied carefully and incrementally.

Flow Rolling as a Development Tool

Her flow rolling sessions with fiancé Mica Galvão serve as a trusted environment where technical development can unfold without the pressure of competitive intensity. During the second trimester of her pregnancy, this approach became even more deliberate — her training shifted toward drilling and controlled grappling with trusted partners, prioritizing refinement and body awareness over output.

Adapting Without Stepping Away

Elor maintained an active training routine throughout her pregnancy, continuing work in both wrestling and BJJ well into the final weeks before delivery. She announced her pregnancy on September 4, 2025 — approximately four months after competing at wrestling's World Team Trials in May 2025. The pregnancy introduced a range of physical challenges: persistent hunger and nausea through approximately 14 weeks, and low iron levels that extended into the third trimester, causing lightheadedness and shortness of breath during training. Over the course of the pregnancy, she gained approximately 35 lb (16 kg).

Rather than stepping away from the mat, Elor adapted her training to the demands of each trimester. In the second trimester, she shifted emphasis toward drilling and controlled grappling, working alongside trusted partners in both wrestling and BJJ. She continued flow rolling with Mica Galvão throughout, stating plainly that remaining on the mat felt healthy and safe for both herself and the baby.

Late-Stage Commitment

In January 2026, just days before her expected delivery date, Elor was observed working pads at Black House MMA and continuing to run on a treadmill in the days that followed — a testament to her confidence in her body's capacity to train safely and her commitment to staying active through the final stretch. She planned to slowly resume wrestling approximately six weeks postpartum, with the timeline remaining flexible depending on how she felt.

Training as a Grounding Practice

Elor approaches training as something more than athletic preparation — she describes it as a practice that keeps her grounded. Her philosophy emphasizes consistency, gradual progress, and perseverance over dramatic transformation, a mindset that her training-through-pregnancy journey made visible to a wide audience. The decision to remain on the mat was not an act of defiance but a reflection of a deeply held belief that movement and physical engagement support well-being when approached with care and self-awareness.

A Voice for Women in Grappling

She has been outspoken in encouraging women entering combat sports, offering words that are direct and expansive: "The sky is the limit. Don't let anybody tell you what you can or can't do. You are so much stronger than you think. Don't be afraid to try something. Don't be afraid to fail, and just have fun with it."

As an Olympic champion who trained through pregnancy at an elite level, Elor occupies a distinctive position in the public conversation around women in grappling and combat sports. Her visibility reinforces the message that athletic identity does not pause at life's major transitions — and that the mat can remain a place of growth, connection, and joy through all of them.