Malaga policeman wins world bronze in jiu-jitsu championship
Riot officer Héctor Sepúlveda came third at the Jiu-Jitsu World Championship in Serbia, after years of balancing work, family life and his passion for martial arts
Nacho Carmona
Monday, 27 October 2025, 15:50
Malaga police officer Héctor Sepúlveda earned a bronze medal at the Jiu-Jitsu World Championship held last week in Novi Sad, Serbia. The 36-year-old from the city’s El Palo district combines his duties in the National Police’s riot unit with his dedication to the sport and caring for his two young daughters.
Sepúlveda, who joined the National Police’s Intervention Unit in 2015, began training at 16 and says the discipline has shaped much of his life. "I juggle time between my daughters, my job and jiu-jitsu," he told SUR. He trains several days a week and credits his wife Paola for helping him balance his schedule.
He explained that jiu-jitsu develops discipline, self-confidence and control, values he now passes on to his eldest daughter, who has also started training.
Sepúlveda’s work often takes him to different parts of Spain, including Madrid, Barcelona and Tenerife, before returning to Malaga. He said that while the city is not particularly unsafe, organised crime and football-related operations often require police intervention across the Costa del Sol.
