# Jhenifer Aquino

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## Overview

**Name:** Jhenifer Aquino


## Bio

Jhenifer Aquino was born on September 06, 1994, in São Paulo, Brazil.

Growing up in a family closely connected with a sporting lifestyle it came naturally for Jhenifer to align her daily life with several different activities from an early age. The first sport she practiced with a passion was capoeira at age 11, but her life was filled with many other games such as handball, volleyball, and football (soccer).

It was by the influence of her twin sister,  Thamires , that 15-year-old Jhenifer tried her first jiu-jitsu class. Thamires had started training at André Ricardo’s class during the previous year and was thoroughly enjoying the experience which propelled Jhenifer to join.

Coach André Ricardo soon realized both sisters were naturally gifted in jiu-jitsu and instilled in them a love for the competitive aspect of this martial art. Unlike her sister, who went on to pursue a career in the sport early on, Jhenifer opted to finish her university studies, relinquishing jiu-jitsu for academia as a blue belt.

For a few years, Jhenifer practiced BJJ sporadically and solely for recreational purposes. It was only after meeting her (now) husband, black belt  Matheus Gonzaga , that Aquino rekindled her passion for the sport and started practicing it more regularly at  Bernardo Faria ‘s Academy in Massachusetts, USA, where Aquino earned her purple belt.

It was as a purple belt that Jhenifer moved to San Diego, California, with her husband, with the intention of joining the  Atos Jiu-Jitsu Academy Headquarters . Once in the Golden State, Aquino became a full-time athlete, competing extensively and becoming one of the foremost grapplers in the colored belt divisions.

The string of important results in jiu-jitsu’s top tournaments led to Jhenifer Aquino’s brown and black belt promotions, both led by team leader  André Galvão , the latter taking place on December 28, 2021.

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**Last Updated:** March 21, 2026

**Data Source:** BJJ.Space (https://bjj.space/people/jhenifer-aquino-dba49c69d111)