Julia Mæle
Norwegian black belt Julia Mæle turned an ACL setback into a podium promotion, then won ADCC Trials and European no-gi titles for OXY.
Biography
Sources for this profile
BJJ Heroes, “Julia Maele”(opens in a new tab)
Julia Mæle is a Norwegian grappler born on 11 November 1992 in Sola on Norway’s west coast.
Where in the source: Profile introduction and Biography opening — Norwegian identity, birth date and Sola
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Felipe ‘Gargamel’ Mota coached Mæle from white belt to black belt and promoted her in October 2018; she represents OXY Gym.
Where in the source: Profile, lineage and Biography closing — OXY, Felipe Mota and October 2018 promotion
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Kingz, “Julia Mæle”(opens in a new tab)
Before jiu-jitsu, Mæle spent nearly a decade in equestrian sport and competed nationally; a friend introduced her to BJJ at nineteen, and she began training almost daily after her first class.
Where in the source: Athlete biography opening — equestrian background and first BJJ class at nineteen
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An ACL injury at blue belt nearly interrupted Mæle’s career, but she entered the IBJJF European Championship before surgery, won the absolute division and received her purple belt on the podium.
Where in the source: Athlete biography — ACL injury, European absolute title and purple-belt promotion
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ADCC, “2nd ADCC European, Middle East & African Trial 2022”(opens in a new tab)
At the second 2022 ADCC European, Middle East and African Trial near Poznań, Mæle won the professional women’s under-60-kilogram division for OXY ahead of Peyton Letcher and Janette Gloger, qualifying for the ADCC World Championship.
Where in the source: Official Results — PROFESSIONAL FEMALE/-60KG places 1–3 and W-60 qualifier
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IBJJF, “European No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu Championship Results,” 2022(opens in a new tab)
At the 2022 European IBJJF No-Gi Championship in Rome, Mæle won the adult women’s black-belt middleweight division for OXY after two matches.
Where in the source: Julia Maele result paragraph and champions list — female black-belt middleweight
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IBJJF, “Athlete Results — Julia Maele”(opens in a new tab)
IBJJF’s athlete record lists Mæle, representing OXY at adult women’s black belt, as third in the light division at the 2023 World IBJJF No-Gi Championship.
Where in the source: No Gi/Adult/Light — third, World IBJJF No-Gi 2023
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IBJJF’s athlete record lists Mæle as the adult women’s black-belt light-division champion at the 2024 European IBJJF No-Gi Championship for OXY.
Where in the source: No Gi/Adult/Light — first, European IBJJF No-Gi 2024
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In adult women’s black-belt no-gi competition in 2025, Mæle earned European silver at middleweight and bronze in the open class, plus Pan bronze at lightweight.
Where in the source: No Gi/Adult — European 2025 Middle second and Open Class third; Pan 2025 Light third
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In women’s black-belt Master 1 gi competition in 2026, Mæle took European middleweight silver, then won middleweight and earned open-class bronze at the Master International Europe.
Where in the source: Masters/Master1 — European 2026 Middle second; Master International Europe 2026 Middle first and Open Class third
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ADCC, “ADCC European, Middle East & African Championship 2024 (2nd Qualifier)”(opens in a new tab)
At the 2024 ADCC European, Middle East and African second qualifier in Zagreb, Mæle placed third in the professional women’s under-55-kilogram division for OXY Felipe Mota and Norway, behind Margot Ciccarelli and Ashley Bendle.
Where in the source: Official Results — PRO WOMEN/-55KG places 1–3
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Beyond Mattrix BJJ Berlin, “First Spring Camp — 3 Days of FLINTA-only BJJ”(opens in a new tab)
Mæle also works as an instructor: at Beyond Mattrix’s three-day Berlin camp, she travelled from Norway as one of two featured coaches and taught two no-gi classes.
Where in the source: Camp report opening — coaches and Julia’s two no-gi classes
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