2026 Jiu-Jitsu National Team Trials - Lee Jae-woong Selected for the Adult National Team!
Hello.
The 2026 national team trials were held in Taebaek, Gangwon Province.
At Let’s Roll Jiu-Jitsu, only three adult athletes competed in this year’s national team trials.
However, one person couldn’t participate due to health reasons.
Next year, more people are planning to take on the challenge.
Onjeong and Sojeong both moved down one weight class compared to last year, and the amount of weight they cut was significant.
Both athletes set long-term and short-term goals every year, and they continue to compete consistently in ways that help their growth.
Watching them keep their diet, weight cut, and training through a tough period—and discipline themselves—made their journey of growth each year, as athletes and as people, look truly radiant.
The night in Taebaek was deep and the sky was clear.
There were so many stars you can hardly see in Busan, and I prayed that everyone would stay safe and achieve great results the next day.
The next morning, the atmosphere at the venue felt cold—filled with the athletes’ tension and the chill in the air.
I wasn’t feeling very good.
Unlike Busan, the weather was quite cold, and my stomach kept bothering me—maybe the food from the first day didn’t agree with me.
I didn’t say it out loud, but honestly, it was the worst condition I’ve ever been in at any national team trial so far.
Onjeong also suffered a broken nasal bone during athlete training three weeks earlier, and she was basically told by the doctor that it would be difficult to compete.
So for three weeks, she couldn’t do any intense sparring at all.
Having to cut weight on top of not being able to spar, her condition wasn’t great,
and because her nose still hadn’t fully healed, it kept getting hit in her first and second matches, so she couldn’t show her full ability—but she fought with heart and won.
Regardless of men or women, on the mat Onjeong showed her momentum, saying, “Even if my nose breaks again today, I’m going to win.”
I was genuinely proud of her for showing such a professional side.
In the semifinals, she faced Seong Gira of Seorae Jiu-Jitsu, from the same roots, and unfortunately
lost 0:0 on points, 2:1 on advantages,
finishing this year’s national team trials in 3rd place.
Since high school senior year, at 19, she has always put up strong results on the adult national team stage,
and she consistently places at major international tournaments as well, so her future looks even more promising.
Sojeong doesn’t do jiu-jitsu full-time,
but because of a connection she had with me when she was young, she originally started jiu-jitsu for dieting.
Even while continuing her studies, she has experience placing at the national team trials a few years ago.
Sojeong usually gets very nervous at competitions, and there were times she seemed to give up when it got hard.
But this year she overcame the nerves and kept pushing all the way to the end even when it was tough.
Unfortunately, she didn’t get a bye and had to fight an extra match,
but she advanced by winning both her first and second matches decisively.
She narrowly lost in the semifinals by two advantages and took 3rd place.
If she polishes things up just a bit more, and gets just a bit more serious,
since she has a naturally aggressive style,
I believe she can achieve great results as a “second life” jiu-jitsu athlete as well.
I was in very poor condition, but I advanced by winning match by match as if I were just sparring.
Overall, I hardly ever get nervous in competition, so I ran my matches calmly and safely,
and outside of my own matches, I was overwhelmed trying to take care of the athletes’ matches too.
In the semifinals I ended up fighting my younger brother Heedong, and in the finals I fought Dongheon, who I trained a lot with last year, which made me feel very uneasy.
This year, I competed with the mindset of “Rather than overthinking, I’ll collide with my A-game in every moment,” and I think that helped me achieve a good result.
After winning four matches and lying there on the finals stage staring up at the ceiling, so many emotions crossed my mind.
Personally, I think it took me a long time to become a national team member not because I lacked skill,
but because of my own weakness of mind and lack of fighting spirit—so… I even felt like such an idiot.
This year, while doing S&C training with CEO Park Jin-woo at Westside Barbell,
in the process of learning about both physical and mental aspects, I became a stronger person, and as a result I was able to produce a great outcome.
Thank you so much.
I was also able to achieve a good result in this trial thanks to Giheon’s dedication.
To Giheon, who couldn’t rest all weekend and took care of long-distance driving, athlete support, and even seconding—thank you so much.
#LetsRollJiuJitsu
I’ve come this far chasing a dream.
And we are together with the people who chase their dreams.
I want to sincerely express my gratitude to everyone who has run this journey together with me until I became a national team member.
I won’t stop, and I’ll continue to repay you with great results.
For those who are chasing dreams with us—come to Let’s Roll Jiu-Jitsu!
#2026JiuJitsuNationalTeamLeeJaeWoong
I’m feeling soooo insanely good!!
#BusanJiuJitsu
#MangmiJiuJitsu
#BaesanJiuJitsu
#SuyeongJiuJitsu
#YeonsanDongJiuJitsu
#AllakDongJiuJitsu