Ana Schmitt

Ana Carolina Schmitt was born on January 6, 1990, in Blumenau, Santa Catarina, Brazil. Before stepping onto the jiu jitsu mats, she built her athletic foundation in rhythmic gymnastics — a discipline that demands exceptional body awareness, flexibility, and precise coordination. Her dedication to the sport carried her to a significant level of competitive success at a young age.

At age 12, a spinal injury brought her gymnastics career to an abrupt end, closing a chapter she had invested years into. Rather than stepping away from sport entirely, Schmitt redirected her discipline and competitive drive toward a new challenge. At age 14, she began training Brazilian jiu jitsu, and the physical attributes she had refined through gymnastics — spatial awareness, balance, and body control — translated directly and meaningfully onto the mats. The transition was less a departure than a continuation of the same athletic pursuit expressed through a different discipline.

Building the Foundation

Ana Schmitt's technical development was guided by a series of accomplished coaches, each contributing distinct influences to her game. Her introduction to jiu jitsu came under Guilherme Neves in Blumenau, where she developed the foundational skills that would define her competitive career. She later moved to train under Juliano Wandalen, who recognized her potential and invested deeply in her growth, awarding her both the purple and brown belts.

Navigating Transitions

When Wandalen shifted his professional focus toward MMA, Schmitt faced a crossroads. Rather than allowing the disruption to stall her trajectory, she sought out Marcos Cunha and joined his academy, preserving the competitive environment she needed to keep progressing. The decision proved pivotal. After claiming gold at the CBJJE World Championship in 2014 as a brown belt, Schmitt received her black belt promotion from Marcos Cunha, marking the beginning of a new chapter in her career.

International Training and Broader Influences

During a visit to the United States, Schmitt trained at Gracie Humaitá in San Diego, an opportunity made possible through her sponsor and Fabrício Camões. She later spent an extended period stateside training alongside Letícia Ribeiro's team — an experience that broadened her technical repertoire and exposed her to a wider range of competitive styles. In 2017, she returned to Brazil and re-established her competitive base with Team Marcos Cunha, carrying the lessons of her time abroad back into her game.

Dominance at the World Championship

Ana Schmitt's black belt career represents one of the most consistent records of high-level performance in the Peso Pena division (58.50 kg / 129.0 lbs) across more than a decade of international competition. The IBJJF World Championship stands as the centerpiece of that record. In 2017, following her return from the United States, she claimed gold — a result that validated the years of development and sacrifice that preceded it. She returned to the podium in 2018 with a silver medal, then reclaimed the top spot in 2019 with a second world title, affirming her place among the division's elite.

Consistency Across the IBJJF Circuit

Beyond the World Championship, Schmitt demonstrated the breadth of her competitive ability across multiple major IBJJF events. She won the IBJJF South American Championship in 2014, the IBJJF American Nationals in 2016, and swept both the IBJJF Pan-Pacific Championship and the IBJJF Rio International Open in 2018. Third-place finishes at the IBJJF Pans Championship in 2015 and 2017, along with podium appearances at the IBJJF European Open in 2015 and 2019, reflect her ability to perform at the highest level across different competitive calendars and geographic contexts.

Colored Belt Foundations

At the colored belt level, Schmitt's record was equally strong. Her gold at the 2013 IBJJF South American Championship at brown belt and her CBJJE World Championship title in 2014 — which directly preceded her black belt promotion — trace the arc of a competitor who built her career methodically, with each phase preparing her for the next level of challenge.