One of Jiu-Jitsu’s greatest qualities is its ability to bring together people from different niches, ages and social classes on the mat. More than just training, those who fall in love with the sport commit to the point of adopting it as a lifestyle, and competing is part of that. Caio Carneiro, a businessman and major social media influencer, is part of that movement.
At the first major competition on the IBJJF’s annual calendar, the Europeans, which began January 15 in Lisbon, Caio made a point of taking part. He is a blue belt in the masters class, a division reserved for athletes over 30. The trip to Europe to compete came after successful showings at local competitions in São Paulo, and the entrepreneur showed he can do very well in an environment that can be intimidating for many.
Caio Carneiro trains in Brazil at an Alliance affiliate and has already won a state title with the FPJJ, the São Paulo Jiu-Jitsu Federation. At a tournament exclusive to team athletes, the Copa Alliance, Caio repeated the performance to win another gold. Marcus ‘Scooby’, a world-renowned black belt, coached the businessman at the tournament.
A STRONG PRESENCE IN THE ENTREPRENEURSHIP WORLD, CAIO PROMOTES THE SPORT TO MILLIONS OF FOLLOWERS
In an interview with The Mat Nation, which was at the European Championship at the Pavilhão de Odivelas, Caio Carneiro praised Jiu-Jitsu as an excellent tool for personal development. Having the sport promoted by a public figure of this stature is a privilege. On social media, he is close to the three-million-follower mark, an invaluable reach that goes beyond the entrepreneurship world. Joel Jota, Caio’s partner in the brand ‘A Trinca’, has already reached six million. Flávio Augusto, another partner, is close to 5 million.
“Jiu-Jitsu is a big classroom, it’s a school, and the mat is a blackboard. For me, having competition experience is enjoying Jiu-Jitsu to its fullest. I came to the Europeans, a beautifully organized event, and ended up losing by one advantage, but being able to come, put myself in a zone of discomfort, test our limits. You leave here a better competitor, a better man,” Caio said.
Caio competed on the first day of the European Championship, in the master 2 lightweight division. Even after his match, he stayed at the tournament to better understand the technical details of the division. It’s worth noting that the fighting world wasn’t new to him: Fabiana Carneiro, the influencer’s wife, is a Taekwondo black belt. Jiu-Jitsu itself had already been part of Caio’s life, but his work routine ended up becoming the priority. It was his son, who trained Jiu-Jitsu, who convinced him to return to training.
“Martial arts have always been around my life. My wife is a black belt in another martial art, Taekwondo. My son brought me back to Jiu-Jitsu. He started training and told me to come back, because I did it for a short time when I was eighteen. Work ended up pulling me away, and my son was able to pull me back. Jiu-Jitsu is family,” he concluded.
This article was originally published in Portuguese: read the original version.
