On May 29th, Michelle Donovan was promoted to purple belt under Professor Mauricio Carra with team Checkmat. Coach Michelle started training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu six and a half years ago. She has been instructing The Cellar Gym’s youth Jiu Jitsu program, along with her husband Coach Aidan, for the past three years. In addition to training multiple times a day, five+ days per week, Michelle also competes in national Jiu Jitsu tournaments regularly. She recently competed in the 2018 Pan American tournament, taking home the silver medal in her division, wining two of her matches by submission and took third in the open class division.

When asked about her future Jiu Jitsu aspirations, Michelle said she is going to keep on working hard in pursuit of her black belt: “My goal is to compete at the World Championship tournament with the elite women I look up to.”