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Anja Bergo

Anja Bergo earned gi and no-gi world medals at purple belt while balancing international competition with studies and four jobs.

Last updated: 20 September 2026

Biography

Anja Bergo is a Norwegian jiu-jitsu competitor whose purple-belt career took her onto world podiums in both gi and no-gi, the formats with and without the traditional uniform. Her first encounter with the sport was less solemn. At fourteen, she accompanied a friend to training and found herself immediately drawn to it, despite a practical problem: she was so ticklish that being touched made her laugh. Representing Frontline Academy, Bergo earned three major no-gi results in 2017. She won the adult women's purple-belt lightweight division at the IBJJF European No-Gi Championship, then took featherweight gold at the American National No-Gi Championship. At that year's No-Gi Worlds, she added bronze in adult women's purple-belt featherweight. Training between studies and work In an April 2018 interview with Studentradioen i Bergen, Bergo described the working life behind her competition schedule. She was studying for a bachelor's degree in occupational therapy at the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences and holding four jobs to finance her sport. Travel, including trips to compete in the United States, was a major expense she largely met herself. Even during a study placement, she said she trained seventeen to nineteen hours a week. When academic demands eased, she trained more. Her aim for the 2018 Worlds was gold, with preparatory competitions planned in New York and Zürich. That season also brought results in gi competition. She won the 2018 IBJJF European Championship's adult women's purple-belt featherweight division, ahead of Liisi Vaht. At the London Winter Open she took gold in both featherweight and the open class, again in adult women's purple belt. The New York trip produced results in both formats. Bergo earned featherweight silver at the Spring Open in the gi, while the corresponding no-gi event brought featherweight gold and open-class bronze. All three results were in the adult women's purple-belt divisions. At the 2018 Worlds she finished second in featherweight, behind Ana Cristina Araujo Rodrigues, earning a gi world silver to accompany her no-gi world bronze from the previous year. BJJ Heroes included Bergo in its selection of emerging European grapplers for 2018, identifying her as a student of Eduardo Rios. Its assessment emphasized her rounded technique, resilience and ability to use her long frame. The recognition described a purple-belt competitor whose results already stretched across European and American events. Bergo later represented Frontline Academy Bergen at the ADCC Nordic Open Norway on February 8, 2020. She faced Eva-My Persson in the professional 60-kilogram superfight, a single named match whose results place Persson first and Bergo second.

Sources for this profile

TimeOut, Studentradioen i Bergen, interview with Anja Bergo, 13 April 2018.(opens in a new tab)
- Bergo first tried Brazilian jiu-jitsu at fourteen, accompanying a female friend to training; she recalled being immediately drawn to it.
  Where in the source: Opening section about her first training session.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
- In the same interview, she recalled that being ticklish initially made her laugh whenever someone touched her.
  Where in the source: First-training recollection and its following quotation.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
- In April 2018 she was studying for a bachelor's degree in occupational therapy at the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences while holding four jobs to fund her sport.
  Where in the source: Paragraph about study, employment and training.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
- During a placement she said she trained seventeen to nineteen hours a week, with more training when academic commitments were lighter.
  Where in the source: Training-hours answer immediately after the study paragraph.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
- She identified travel, including competition trips to the United States, as a major expense she largely financed herself.
  Where in the source: Travel-cost paragraphs and her answer.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
- Having previously won a world bronze, Bergo said her goal for the 2018 Worlds was gold; she planned preparatory competitions in New York and Zürich.
  Where in the source: Final section on ambitions and preparation.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
BJJ Heroes, 2018 selection of emerging European grapplers, Anja Bergo section.(opens in a new tab)
- BJJ Heroes included Bergo among its emerging European grapplers of 2018 and identified her as a Norwegian student of Eduardo Rios.
  Where in the source: Anja Bergo heading, country line and short profile.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
- The editorial highlighted her all-round technique, mental resilience and use of her long frame during her purple-belt competition career.
  Where in the source: Anja Bergo profile paragraph.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
IBJJF, official European No-Gi Championship 2017 results.(opens in a new tab)
- At the 2017 IBJJF European No-Gi Championship, Bergo placed first for Frontline Academy in the adult women's purple-belt lightweight division (61.50kg).
  Where in the source: Female / Adult / Purple / Light (61.50kg), all three podium rows.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
IBJJF, official American National No-Gi Championship 2017 results.(opens in a new tab)
- At the 2017 IBJJF American National No-Gi Championship, she placed first for Frontline Academy in adult women's purple-belt featherweight (125.00lb).
  Where in the source: Female / Adult / Purple / Feather (125.00lb), all four podium rows.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
IBJJF, official World No-Gi Championship 2017 results.(opens in a new tab)
- Bergo earned a bronze at the 2017 IBJJF No-Gi Worlds in adult women's purple-belt featherweight (125.00lb), representing Frontline Academy.
  Where in the source: Female / Adult / Purple / Feather (125.00lb), all four podium rows.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
IBJJF, official European Championship 2018 results.(opens in a new tab)
- She won the 2018 IBJJF European Championship adult women's purple-belt featherweight division (58.50kg) for Frontline Academy; Liisi Vaht was second.
  Where in the source: Female / Adult / Purple / Feather (58.50kg), all four podium rows.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
IBJJF, official London Winter Open 2018 results.(opens in a new tab)
- At the 2018 IBJJF London Winter Open, Bergo placed first in both adult women's purple-belt featherweight (58.50kg) and open class for Frontline Academy.
  Where in the source: Female / Adult / Purple / Feather and Open Class, both complete podium tables.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
IBJJF, official New York Spring Open 2018 results.(opens in a new tab)
- She took silver at the 2018 IBJJF New York Spring Open in adult women's purple-belt featherweight (129.00lb), representing Frontline Academy.
  Where in the source: Female / Adult / Purple / Feather (129.00lb), all four podium rows.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
IBJJF, official New York Spring No-Gi Open 2018 results.(opens in a new tab)
- At the corresponding 2018 New York Spring No-Gi Open, she won adult women's purple-belt featherweight (125.00lb) and placed third in open class for Frontline Academy.
  Where in the source: Female / Adult / Purple / Feather and Open Class, both complete podium tables.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
IBJJF, official World Championship 2018 results.(opens in a new tab)
- At the 2018 IBJJF Worlds, Bergo finished second for Frontline Academy in adult women's purple-belt featherweight (129.00lb), behind Ana Cristina Araujo Rodrigues.
  Where in the source: Female / Adult / Purple / Feather (129.00lb), all four podium rows.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
ADCC, official Nordic Open Norway 2020 results.(opens in a new tab)
- At the ADCC Nordic Open Norway on 8 February 2020, Bergo represented Frontline Academy Bergen in the professional 60kg superfight; the official results list Eva-My Persson first and Bergo second.
  Where in the source: Event heading/date and entire Superfight 1 – 60 Kg Pro ordered list.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20

Competition results

Recorded tournament results, newest first
Year	Event	Result	Division
2018	IBJJF European Open ChampionshipSource: bjjheroes.comPurple beltGiVerified	Gold	Purple beltGiVerified
2018	IBJJF World ChampionshipSource: bjjheroes.comPurple beltGiVerified	Silver	Purple beltGiVerified
2017	IBJJF American Nationals No-GiSource: bjjheroes.comPurple beltNo-giVerified	Gold	Purple beltNo-giVerified
2017	IBJJF European No-Gi ChampionshipSource: bjjheroes.comPurple beltNo-giVerified	Gold	Purple beltNo-giVerified

Lineage

View in lineage tree

Trained under

Eduardo "Teta" Rios Source: frontlinebergen.no