Vegan Wins Gold at Jiu-Jitsu Championships

Vegan athlete Jaqueline Geihe recently won gold at the European Jiu-Jitsu Championships in the Adult blue belt Featherweight category. Geihe, who has been vegan since 2018, believes it is important for people to see a vegan athlete succeeding in competitions to break down prejudices against individuals following this lifestyle. She attributes her vegan diet to environmental and ethical reasons, with the performance benefits being a welcomed by-product.

Although martial arts like Brazilian Jiu Jitsu are often associated with masculinity and meat consumption, there are growing numbers of vegan athletes finding success in the sport. David Meyer, an eight-time world champion in BJJ, has been vegan since 2000 and credits his ongoing success to his plant-based diet. Plant-based diets have been shown to offer numerous benefits for athletes, including reduced inflammation, faster recovery times, improved endurance, and lower body fat, which can enhance performance in competitive settings.