In a world of uncertainty, 12th-grade special education teacher Cleopatra Iliescu finds herself crushing her goals in each aspect of her life. As a Romanian immigrant and single mother, Iliescu recently earned the World Master Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gold medal after only five years of studying the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Iliescu began her martial arts career during her late teenage years in Romania after discovering a deep desire for an activity that allowed her to feel a spiritual connection. This need eventually led her to practice karate due to its Japanese philosophy. Unknowingly, Karate kept her fascinated for the next 15 years. Iliescu followed her passion for karate to the U.S. after receiving a visa for competitions and tournaments, revealing her strong training and skillset. 

“Once I moved here, things got harder, and you think you come [to the U.S.] because it’s better, but it’s hard as an immigrant. I had children, and as a single mother, I kind of quit everything for many, many years. But now my children are out of high school and college, and I really, truly missed [jiu-jitsu],” Iliescu said. 

Unfortunately, due to the immense change Iliescu encountered during her move to the U.S., as she worked to overcome trials in her new country, she stopped practicing karate to care for her children and to focus on herself. Although Iliescu stopped competing in the sport, a piece of her still yearned for the intense workouts day in and day out. During her struggle to find the martial arts style she competed in as a black belt in Romania, Iliescu found herself intrigued by Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. 

The discovery of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu by Iliescu provided her with the opportunity to regain her passion and adoration for martial arts. After nearly five years of consistent weekday training, Iliescu worked her way up to reach the blue belt status alongside her World Champion title. 

Thursday, August 28-30, 2025, Iliescu competed in Las Vegas at the Las Vegas Convention Center to earn a spot in the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) World Masters Championships. Through countless hours of practice and training, Iliescu became known as the IBJJF female World Champion in her age, weight and belt level, which heightened her expectations for future competitions. 

“I’m just doing things and things are happening, but it felt good walking back into the gym and seeing everyone clapping and cheering, ‘here comes the champion.’ So I’m not realizing usually when I do something, so it’s not until afterward that I see the effect of it all. And right now with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, which I started five years ago, this is the first year that I’ve started competing — and yes, I’ll continue,” Iliescu said. 

Although Iliescu’s achievements revolve around her Jiu-Jitsu persona, the teacher also adores other hobbies outside of the ring. Iliescu also finds pleasure in dragon boat racing, which she hopes to begin competing in this year with a team of 10-20 other athletes. This unusual, yet thrilling, activity joins Iliescu’s list of favored pastimes. Dragon boat racing has sparked her interest in hopes of one day trying out for the U.S. dragon boat racing team.

Iliescu’s work in the Jiu-Jitsu realm empowers her to hold a positive mindset, despite the setbacks she encounters, and she continues to follow other passions. Iliescu’s love for writing stirred her interest in advancing her authorship; she wrote and published four books of poetry and currently strives to edit and publish her fifth book. Iliescu also creates beautiful portraits, pursuing her love of painting and artistry to express her inner self. 

Since her recent win in Las Vegas, Iliescu continues to work toward future achievements at her gym, Georgia Martial Arts, as well as at its headquarters, Alliance, in Sandy Springs. These two gyms provide Iliescu with uplifting coaches who equip her to the fullest. Iliescu’s determination to succeed, despite her recent start in competitive Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, has earned her the support of NC teachers and students alike, who eagerly await all that she will accomplish next. 

The Chant congratulates Iliescu on her recent win and wishes her luck for her upcoming tournaments!