Mila Ben David’s list of achievements is nothing short of impressive. This at only 11 years of age. Originally from Spain, Mia travelled to South Africa with her family when she was 5 years old. That move coincided with her starting to participate in a sport many would consider “unconventional” – Judo and Jiu-Jitsu.
Despite the sport’s lack of popularity, the Grade 5 pupil has grown in leaps and bounds.
Displaying quintessential overachiever tendencies, Mia took up another challenge in 2022. This in the intimidating form of Wrestling. Needless to say and in true Mia style, she’s dominated that sport too and has been crowned SA Wrestling Champion in her age group.
Martial arts is her passion and she also trains in Boxing and Kickboxing.
How were introduced to Judo and Jiu-Jitsu?
When I watched the Judo Olympics 2016 in Brazil with my Dad he asked me if I would like to try it. The following week we went to a dojo near my house and I loved it ever since the first lesson.
You have been very successful in the sport at a very young age, what have been your highlights?
Wining the World championship in Jiu-Jitsu for kids in Los Angeles. Also, winning a gold medal at SA wrestling nationals recently at Stellenbosch University after only participating for 7 months in the sport of wrestling.
How do you juggle school and training for competitions?
It is not easy but I am doing well in school . They allow me to come a bit later in the morning when I have morning training, after school I need to rush with lunch and homework in order to make it on time for the afternoon training every day.
How often do you practice?
My schedule is very busy, 6 days a week , 2 training sessions a day. But I love it.
What do you enjoy most about Judo and Jiu-Jitsu and Wrestling?
I like all of these martial arts, my main focus is Jiu-Jitsu because I think it is a more complex marital art, but both Judo and Wrestling are great and I benefit from each style, they gives me more tools as fighter. Besides the healthy lifestyle it give you a lot of self-confidence. In addition I have also been doing kickboxing in the last four and half years.
What do you learn from the sport that helps you in your everyday life?
I train at high intensity and that gives me a lot if discipline and focus on my goals. If I don’t win, I learn to be accept loss and try to learn and improve for next time. The challenge and pressure of competing so often in front of a big crowd is helping, for example at school if I need to stand in front of a class and do a speech it is very easy for me and I don’t get nervous.
How many medals and awards do you have in total? Can you even count them?
I have in Jiu-Jitsu 32 gold medals and 2 silver. In Judo 10 gold medals. In wrestling 7 gold medals and 1 silver.
Obviously some medals are from big and important competitions and some from smaller ones. But the big majority are from the boys division.
Tell us more about your move from fighting with girls to boys?
Since my second competition, my coaches registered me to compete in the boys’ divisions looking for more challenge. In the gym I am used to training with boys normally, because sometimes there wasn’t a lot of girl training partners. And besides I like the challenge.
How did COVID affect you? Were you able to continue practicing?
It was a very different time, I couldn’t train properly, the gym was closed so I trained as much as I could at home and my coach also trained me in the park, because they only allowed us to train in the open spaces. I really missed the gym and was so happy when it was allowed again.
Are you ever nervous or scared before going into a competition?
Yes always, even now after competing so many times in different countries, I am still nervous before competitions. In the beginning it was very hard but as I got more and more experience, I just got used to it and learned better how to control my nerves.
What is the big dream for Mila?
I want to be Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt World Champion and maybe win a medal in the Olympics. Also, I like computers very much so to work in a company like Apple or Microsoft would be a dream.
Mila’s Main Achievements:
2019 Jiu-Jitsu World Champion – Gold Medal (Los Angeles, USA).
2020 European Championship – Silver Medal (Dublin, Ireand).
4 x SA Champion
4 x African Continental Gold Medallist
4 x SA Submission Wrestling Gold Medallist
3 x Gauteng Judo Champion.
1 x SA Judo Champion
2022 SA National Wrestling Champion
(0 rating, 0 votes, rated)
Loading...
