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Javier Riquelme Martínez

Riquelme and Pilar Romero took jiu-jitsu into a school, helping pupils practise simple escapes from grips.

Biography

For Yuri Pashkovich, Javier Riquelme Martínez was both teacher and closest friend. In a March 2020 interview, Pashkovich credited the Elda BJJ instructor with an essential part in his career. Riquelme’s background included pharmacy work, karate, climbing and BJJ. His 2011 Lisbon debut came a month after blue belt; he enjoyed the nerves. A workplace injury left him fearing he could never compete again. Knee surgery enabled his return. Valle de Elda described his move into black-belt competition in November 2018. At Paris’s IBJJF Open he won his weight category and finished second in the open. He would continue training with Pilar Romero before Lisbon. The adjustment continued in 2019. Radio Elda described Valencia’s FIJJD event as preparation for IBJJF Rome. Riquelme regretted falling just short of finishing an opponent from the back and acknowledged the cost of still being new to black belt. In 2019 he described ninety-minute sessions dominated by sparring, little weightlifting and swimming for breathing. He felt that training six days would leave him well conditioned. Wins encouraged a Las Vegas ambition postponed until ready; he was still learning. A school account in 2022 described Riquelme and Romero jointly running CEE’s jiu-jitsu school and teaching self-defense to women and adolescents. At Pintor Sorolla, they discussed their training and explained the fundamentals before pupils practised simple escapes from grips. Invitations to free children’s classes in Elda and Petrer followed the visit. In 2026, he took European Master 5 gi superheavy silver.

Sources for this profile

  • AQUÍ, March 2020.(opens in a new tab)

    • In March 2020, Yuri Pashkovich described Elda’s Javier Riquelme Martínez as his BJJ teacher and closest friend, crediting him as essential to his career.

      Where in the source: Printed31, teacher answer.

      Accessed:

  • AQUÍ, 11 December 2019.(opens in a new tab)

    • Born in 1972, Riquelme recalled pharmacy work, 23 years of karate, eight of climbing and eleven of BJJ. His 2011 Lisbon debut followed earning blue by a month; he enjoyed the nerves. A pharmacy injury made him fear he could not compete again before knee surgery enabled his return. He described ninety-minute sessions, nearly an hour sparring, little weightlifting and swimming for breathing; six training days were his example of sufficient conditioning. Learning remained unfinished; recent wins encouraged a hoped-for Las Vegas entry after postponing until ready.

      Where in the source: 2019 interview answers.

      Accessed:

  • Valle de Elda, 26 November 2018.(opens in a new tab)

    • Valle de Elda reported in November 2018 that Riquelme entered Paris’s IBJJF Open as a new black belt, won his weight category and placed second in the open. He would continue training with Pilar Romero before Lisbon.

      Where in the source: Main report.

      Accessed:

  • Radio Elda, 10 October 2019.(opens in a new tab)

    • In October 2019, Radio Elda described Valencia’s FIJJD event as Riquelme’s preparation for IBJJF Rome. He regretted nearly finishing from the back and acknowledged that limited black-belt experience still mattered.

      Where in the source: Main and closing.

      Accessed:

  • Intercomarcal, 2022.(opens in a new tab)

    • A 2022 school report described Riquelme and Pilar Romero jointly running CEE’s jiu-jitsu school and teaching self-defence to women and adolescents. At Pintor Sorolla they discussed their training, explained fundamentals, practised simple grip escapes with pupils and offered invitations to free children’s classes in Elda and Petrer.

      Where in the source: Whole school account.

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF.(opens in a new tab)

    • 2026 European silver: Master 5 black belt, gi superheavy.

      Where in the source: Results.

      Accessed:

  • Objetivo Torrevieja, 30 January 2026.(opens in a new tab)

    • Objetivo Torrevieja reported Riquelme’s silver at the 2026 IBJJF Europeans in Lisbon.

      Where in the source: Main individual results.

      Accessed:

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