'I left home at 18 to pursue jiu-jitsu dream'

Bea Fernandes had to provide for herself after leaving home all while in college and still training

A champion in Brazilian jiu-jitsu has described the huge effort it took to leave her home at 18 to pursue her dream.

Bea Fernandes, 23, moved to Ipswich from Portugal 12 years ago and had never taken part in a combat sport in her life.

As a teenager she started kickboxing and Muay Thai martial arts, before her coach introduced her to Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

"If you have a dream you want to pursue, you do anything, nothing affects you," she said.

Ms Fernandes now has a range of titles under her belt, including becoming European champion in 2022.

Ms Fernandes is expecting a baby later this year

In her mid teens, Ms Fernandes began training at the Ipswich Combat Academy on Princes Street.

While she "fell in love straight away", she said she stopped for a few years as her mother did not like her being involved in combat sports.

She returned at the age of 18, focusing on Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and said she had never looked back.

"Every time I went it just felt so great," she explained.

"Because I was already naturally good at it, I just carried on."

'You do anything'

Around this same time she made a difficult decision to move out of her family home to focus on a career in the sport.

"I am so glad I [left home]," she said.

"If I was still home I would be going to uni doing something I would not like and probably [would] give up uni because that's not for me."

Alongside attending Suffolk One College and training, she worked at a fast food outlet at the Copdock Interchange which she said she found "tiring".

"Sometimes I used to go to college in the morning, work at Burger King from 12 to half five, then training from six until half nine.

"But if you have a dream you want to pursue, you do anything, nothing affects you."

Ms Fernandes won the European Championship in 2022

Her European win in Italy two years ago was "meant to be", she said.

After progressing through the rounds with an injury, she woke up on the day of her final fight and felt "great" - which she added was abnormal.

"I never do because I always cut weight before fighting," she explained.

"So much happened that day that showed me it was meant to be.

"For instance I got injured in my first fight - I had six fights to the final - the girl slammed me and I hurt my back.

"I couldn't walk, I was crying. [I thought] it was over, I'm not going to win."

After a talk from her coach, she made it to her final fight.

"As soon as I stood onto the mat again, it's like you forget about the pain," she continued.

"The final I did it easily and when the girl tapped it was the best feeling ever."

'Try and try again'

She now has her eyes on the world championships, and despite representing Portugal twice, she has yet to lift the title.

While she is currently expecting a baby, she said next year she would be back competing and aiming for that title.

"I haven't won the Worlds yet but it's the same as the Euros - before I won I had lost so many before that, you have to go and try and try again," she added.

"That's the best lesson that jiu-jitsu teaches people because nothing in life is going to go your way always."