Lillian Marchand enters the next chapter of her career with momentum, confidence, and a clear sense of purpose. A newly promoted black belt representing Atos Jiu-Jitsu in San Diego, California, Marchand recently captured gold at the World No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu Championships, further cementing her place among the sport’s elite as she prepares for the challenges ahead.

That momentum now carries her into the gi, where Marchand is set to make her IBJJF black belt gi debut at the upcoming European Jiu-Jitsu Championships, competing in the middleweight division. For Marchand, the transition to black belt, and to the sport’s biggest stages, feels like a natural progression rather than a leap into the unknown.

“Coming into the black belt is a huge milestone that I feel ready for. I feel that the colored belts gained me momentum, and now I can head into the majors with confidence in myself and my jiu-jitsu.”

That confidence was on full display in her World No-Gi title run, where Lillian submitted three of her four opponents en route to lightweight gold. The performance reaffirmed her belief in both her preparation and her place at the top level of the sport as she turns her attention toward major gi championships.

“I’m really proud of myself for stepping into no-gi and proving to myself that I am exactly where I need to be in my career. It was a great learning experience, but we’re going into a new year, and it’s like hitting a reset button. I have the same drive to be the best.”

As she looks toward the upcoming season, including her European Championships debut in the gi, Marchand is no stranger to adapting, particularly when it comes to weight divisions. Having competed across multiple classes since her juvenile years, she welcomes the challenge that comes with change.

“I’ve floated between weight divisions since my juvenile years, so it’s something I’m used to, but I like that every division is a new challenge with new people, and I had great success at middleweight in the brown belt, so I’m looking forward to it this upcoming year.”

Marchand’s journey to Atos Jiu-Jitsu began long before her move to California. Growing up in Canada, her connection to the team started at a young age through seminars and early visits that left a lasting impression and laid the foundation for what would eventually become a full-time commitment to the sport.

“Professors Andre and Angelica came to my gym in Canada to do a seminar when I was a yellow belt. I remember being so excited, and I felt like I met a superstar. Not too long after that, I visited Atos right before Pan Kids, and it was such a cool experience that I made it a point to visit every year after that. And in 2021, I moved to San Diego right before my juvenile year to commit myself to training and competing.”

That commitment only deepened once she immersed herself full-time in the Atos training environment, surrounded daily by world champions and elite competitors throughout the colored belt ranks.

“I started training when I was five, but I wasn’t serious about competing until I was eleven or twelve. But it really clicked once I reached juvenile, because I was training in a room full of world champions every day. So, without even realizing it, I was already setting myself up for success just by being around them, watching how they train, fix their mistakes, and how they hold themselves up to a high standard. After completing my first training camp with them, I knew this was what I wanted to do.”

A major influence in her development has been the culture instilled early on by Atos leaders, particularly the emphasis on professionalism long before reaching black belt, an approach that now carries into her preparation for major championships like the Europeans.

“Something that Angelica always told us was to start acting like black belts, as blue belts. She instilled in us this professionalism and drive to be the best from the beginning. So everything we did from that point on was going to boost our training and performance, like lifting, diet, drilling, and mindset.”

Now preparing to step onto the mats in Lisbon for her first major gi championship as a black belt, Marchand remains mindful of her roots and the path that brought her here. Her message to young athletes, especially those from small towns, comes from her own lived experience.

“Coming from a small town shouldn’t define whether you can achieve your goals or not. Were my goals big? Yes. But I also believed in myself and wanted to pursue this lifestyle, so I made sure that I did everything I could to get here. It was hard; I had to make lots of sacrifices, like leaving my home at fifteen, but I was lucky enough to have an amazing and supportive family who wanted me to take advantage of every opportunity I could. So, if I had to narrow it down, I would say believe in yourself, surround yourself with people who believe in you, and just go for it.”

With a World No-Gi title already secured and her IBJJF black belt gi debut set for the European Jiu-Jitsu Championships, Lillian Jane Marchand enters the upcoming season not just as a rising talent, but as a competitor fully prepared for the demands of the highest level of the sport.

You can catch Lillian competing at the 2026 IBJJF European Jiu-Jitsu Championships exclusively on FloGrappling.