Children often follow in their parents' footsteps, but Sana El Aalbawi has broken tradition and followed in her 15-year-old daughter's footsteps by learning Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
Sana's sporting journey began with sailing, a sport far removed from combat sports. She graduated from high school in Casablanca in 1999 and moved to France, where she explored the sport during her studies there. She went on to receive higher education in engineering in Grenoble, graduating five years later to work in the field of aeronautical engineering.
She improved quickly in sailing and continued to practice after graduating. She describes the sport as one that “brings us closer to nature and teaches us to be humble before its powers.” Sana has participated in numerous international competitions, including the Wind Challenge in France and the African Sailing Championships in Algeria.
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Sailing has allowed her to get to know different regions in her home country, which are among the best places in the world to practice sailing. This passion led her to live in Dakhla for nine years, where she opened a private sailing club, but personal circumstances led her to return to France in 2019.
Shortly after returning from sailing and retiring, Sana, 40, decided to follow her then-12-year-old daughter into the world of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, a combat sports sport with a particular emphasis on ground techniques. She joined Gracie Barra Paris at the end of 2021. “I fell in love with the sport through my daughter. She was my main motivation for getting into combat sports,” she said.
Sana experienced an indescribable feeling: “The same feeling I had when I practiced sailing, and it became a part of my daily life.” She tells Yabiladi that BJJ helps her balance the responsibilities of work, family and sport.
“Since I started playing this sport, I feel like the problems in my daily life and work are much smaller than they were before. I've also become more efficient both personally and professionally.”
Sana El Aalbawi
Her first training session at Gracie Barra Paris on December 14, 2021, was a turning point in her life. Just one month after starting her training, Sana decided to take part in her first competition. Although it may have seemed premature to those around her, she wanted to “face reality” and test her abilities. Although she lost in that competition, she did not see it as a defeat, but as a learning opportunity.
The Khouribga native realised her mistake, stepped up her training and decided to compete again. Her efforts paid off, coming second at the European Jiu-Jitsu Championships in January 2023 and winning the French Championships in June 2023.
On December 8, 2023, she won the World Championships in Las Vegas, and at the end of January 2024, she came in second at the European Jiu-Jitsu Championships. She is currently preparing for the World Kimono Championships in August 2024.
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A year ago, Sana moved to Singapore after being offered a job in engineering. She made the decision because the job would allow her to combine her career with her interest in sports. Today, Sana strives to balance the three important aspects of her life: work, family and sports.
