Wikipedia

Meggie Ochoa

Margarita "Meggie" P. Ochoa[1] (born May 6, 1990) is a Filipino jujutsu practitioner. She competes both in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and the standard form of the discipline.

Meggie Ochoa
Ochoa in 2023
BornMargarita P. Ochoa
(1990-05-06) May 6, 1990 (age 34)
NationalityFilipino
StyleJapanese and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
TeamAtos Jiu-jitsu Philippines
Rank  black belt in BJJ under Andre Galvao
UniversityAteneo de Manila University
Medal record
Representing  Philippines
Women's Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Ju-Jitsu World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2022 Abu Dhabi 48 kg
Gold medal – first place 2018 Malmö 49 kg
Women's Ju-jitsu
Asian Games
Gold medal – first place 2022 Hangzhou ne-waza 48 kg
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Jakarta–Palembang ne-waza 49 kg
Asian Ju-Jitsu Championships
Gold medal – first place 2018 Bangkok ne-waza 48 kg
Southeast Asian Games
Gold medal – first place 2019 Philippines ne-waza 45 kg
Gold medal – first place 2021 Hanoi ne-waza 48 kg
Silver medal – second place 2023 Phnom Penh ne-waza 52 kg

Education

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Ochoa was born on May 6, 1990[2] to Jobert and Lee P. Ochoa[3] She studied at Saint Pedro Poveda College for her basic education, graduating from the school in 2008.[4] For college, she attended the Ateneo de Manila University, where she graduated in 2012 with a bachelor's degree in business management.[5] She was part of her university's track team.[6]

Career

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Early years

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After graduating from college, Ochoa took up mixed martial arts (MMA) but she was deterred by the lack of opponents in her weight class at the time.[6] She has a small build[7] and has tried judo before MMA.[1]

She would take up jujutsu in 2013,[7] after changing teams where the coach suggest her to try to martial art.[6] For the next three years she has relied on crowdfunding as she works to obtain a black belt in Brazilian jujutsu (BJJ).[1]

Brazilian jujutsu

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Ochoa is a three-time champion at the World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship (2014 as a white belt, 2015 and 2016 as a blue belt)[8]

She would participate at the 2018 Ju-Jitsu World Championships in Sweden, where she would become the first Filipino jujutsu champion by bagging the gold medal in the women's BJJ -49kg.[9] She was promoted to brown belt for the feat.[10]

Ochoa would be promoted to BJJ black belt by August 2022.[11] She added another World Championships gold medal in the 2022 edition held in the United Arab Emirates, this time in the women's -48kg.[12][13]

Jiu-jitsu

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Ochoa would also compete in standard jiu-jitsu. She took part in the 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Turkmenistan, where she won a gold medal in the women's -45kg.[14]

She has competed in the Asian Games twice. At the 2018 edition in Jakarta, Indonesia she would clinch a bronze in the women's -49 kg event.[15] At the 2022 edition in Hangzhou, China in October 2023, Ochoa won a gold medal in the -48 kg event.[16] She endured a flu which she recovered from only a day after the final match, and a hip injury which she incurred in the semifinal.[17]

At the 2023 Asian Ju-Jitsu Championships in Bangkok, Thailand, Ochoa would win the women's -48 kg title.[18][19]

Ochoa has also competed in the Southeast Asian Games from 2019 to the 2023 edition across multiple weight class.[20] She has won two golds (-45kg in 2019[21] and -48kg in 2021[22]) and a silver medal (-52kg in 2023).[20]

Personal life

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Ochoa has worked in a non-profit organization before committing to her sporting career in 2014.[23] She has also been an advocate against child sexual abuse since 2015.[24][25] She founded Fight to Protect, a non-profit organization which teaches child survivors of abuse martial arts.[20]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Jambora, Anne (July 11, 2016). "This 100-lb woman is a Brazilian jiujitsu champion". Lifestyle.INQ. Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  2. ^ "Ju-jitsu - OCHOA Margarita". Asian Games 2022. Hangzhou Asian Games Organising Committe. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  3. ^ Yalung, Brian (December 27, 2018). "Tagumpay ni Meggie, tagumpay ng pamilya" [Victory of Meggie, also the success of the family pamilya]. Balita. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  4. ^ Galvez, Waylon (April 28, 2020). "Ochoa joins fight against online child abuse". Tempo. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  5. ^ Recio, Noelle (August 17, 2014). "Meggie Ochoa: The people's champion". The Guidon. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  6. ^ a b c Mendoza-Dayrit, Mylene (March 20, 2018). "How Jiu-jitsu star Meggie Ochoa trains for the gold". The Philippine Star. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  7. ^ a b Layug, Margaret Claire (March 31, 2020). "Meggie's Mission". GMA News. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  8. ^ "Ochoa bags gold in 2016 World Jiu-Jitsu Championships". Tiebreaker Times. June 15, 2016. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  9. ^ Dioquino, Delfin (November 25, 2018). "Meggie Ochoa bags historic gold for PH in Jiu-Jitsu World Championships". Rappler. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  10. ^ Li, Matthew (November 25, 2018). "Meggie Ochoa picks up historic gold in World Championships". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  11. ^ "Ochoa angat sa black belt" [Ochoa rises to black belt]. Abante (in Filipino). August 4, 2022. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  12. ^ Fuertes, Rommel Jr. (November 4, 2022). "Meggie Ochoa clinches Philippines' second gold in Jiu-Jitsu World Championship". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  13. ^ "2022 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP - U16 U18 U21 ADULTS and PARA - ADULTS JIU-JITSU FEMALE -48 KG". p. 82. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  14. ^ "Meggie Ochoa, Annie Ramirez secure golden double for Philippines". Tiebreaker Times. September 19, 2017. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  15. ^ "Meggie Ochoa wins sixth bronze medal for PHL in Asian Games". GMA News. Asian Games 2018 Philippine Media Pool. August 24, 2018. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  16. ^ Valderrama, Aeron Paul (October 5, 2023). "Meggie Ochoa dominates Asiad jujitsu for PH's second gold". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  17. ^ Villanueva, Ralph Edwin (October 5, 2023). "'Really overwhelming': Ochoa bucks flu, hip injury en route to precious Asiad gold". The Philippine Star. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  18. ^ Villar, Joey (February 27, 2023). "Ochoa tops 48-kg in Asian Jiu-Jitsu Championship". BusinessWorld. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  19. ^ "Meggie Ochoa grabs gold in Asian Jiu-jitsu Championship". CNN Philippines. February 28, 2023. Archived from the original on March 1, 2023. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  20. ^ a b c "Her Side of the Court | Meggie Ochoa's response to SEA Games silver medal is a masterclass in resilience". One Sports. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  21. ^ Ramos, Gerry (December 9, 2019). "Meggie Ochoa banners PH three-gold romp in SEA Games jiu-jitsu". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  22. ^ "Familiarity key for Meggie Ochoa in exacting revenge against Vietnam rival". CNN Philippines. March 17, 2022. Archived from the original on May 17, 2022. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  23. ^ De Leon, Job (April 1, 2014). "Brazilian jiu-jitsu rising star Meggie Ochoa turns to crowd-funding to help achieve her dream". GMA News. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  24. ^ Dalupang, Denison Rey; Ochoa, Francis T.J. (November 26, 2018). "Her biggest fight". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  25. ^ Kwek, Kimberly (October 4, 2023). "Meggie Ochoa is a jiu-jitsu star but finds her calling in life fighting against child abuse". The Straits Times. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
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