The best athletes in the area are stars on their team, at Live Oak, Sobrato or Oakwood. Perhaps among the tops in their league, the Blossom Valley Athletic League. The elite may also be among the best in the Central Coast Section or in the state of California.
Katerina “Katya” Starodub, an Oakwood freshman competing in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ), has horizons and accomplishments far beyond that. In championship competitions in 2024, Starodub, who competes with the Gracie Barra Club in Morgan Hill under Professor Alef Gerson, won the national title last June and the international title in July—best in the US and now best in the world.
Starodub won double gold (for the Gi and No-Gi styles) at the American Nationals of the International Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) on June 28 in Las Vegas.
The international competition, known as “Pan Kids” for its age groups, followed and took place in Kissimmee, Fla. on July 27. Starodub won that title, often winning by pinning her opponents. In the championship contest with Ella Jane Dorkin of the UK, she won on points.
“I trained really hard,” Starodub said. “I did a lot of sparring, had private instruction, did weights and worked with a nutritionist. In the (international) finals, it was against a girl from the UK. It was one of my toughest matches.”
This gave her the title of World Champion and a No. 1 ranking in Yellow Belt for females of her age group (born in 2010) and weight class, Feather, less than 106 pounds.
“When I won, I was almost in disbelief,” Starodub said. “It almost didn’t feel real. I had dreams of it and then it became real.”
Per Wikipedia, BJJ is a self defense martial arts and combat sport based on grappling, ground fighting and submission holds. It is primarily a ground-based fighting style and focuses on taking one’s opponent down to the ground, gaining a dominant position, and using a number of techniques to force them into submission via joint locks, chokeholds or compression locks.
Gi and No-Gi are two styles of BJJ. Participants wear a traditional kimono-style uniform in the former and athletic wear in the latter. Gi is more technical and emphasizes leverage, technique and defensive skills. No-Gi is faster-paced and emphasizes agility, speed and transitions. It values strength, speed and explosiveness and is more akin to self defense.
Starodub, whose parents Dmitri Starodub and Elena Casey are both scientists with PhD’s in Physics, was born in Palo Alto and the family moved to Morgan Hill in 2020. She began in athletics with ballet and figure skating and moved to rhythmic gymnastics. At age 10, in 2020, she tried jiu jitsu with the Gracie Barra Academy in Morgan Hill.
“I liked jiu jitsu so much,” Starodub said. “It fits my personality. I enjoy doing it. My mind forgets everything and I focus on jiu jitsu. There are two styles, Gi and No-Gi and I do both.”
Gracie Barra Morgan Hill provides instruction and training in jiu jitsu, martial arts and also classes in fitness and self defense. In the competitions, Gracie Barra has produced the highest results of any club in the national championships and has other world champions in addition to Starodub.
Starodub trains and competes under Gerson Alef, a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt himself. In his own career, Alef has been crowned the American national champion and reached the finals at the Pan American Championships, along with being a multiple IBJJF champion.
“In the past years I had the privilege to share the mats with Katya, an extraordinary athlete in the sport of Jiu Jitsu, showcasing an unparalleled level of dedication, discipline and outstanding skill,” Alef said. “Her relentless work ethic and commitment to excellence have rightfully earned her the prestigious title of being ranked No. 1 in the world for the 2024 season, winning Pan Kids, the biggest tournament for kids in the world.
“This remarkable achievement is a testament to her hard work and determination.”
Starodub also started wrestling in 2024. It improves her takedowns in jiu jitsu and provides school-level competition in California and the possibility of a college scholarship.
She was initially coached by Frank Ortiz and has continued with Hayden Gustafson at Oakwood. Early results are already impressive, including second-place finishes at the Lady Royals and Trojan Wrath Invitational. Due to limited numbers of wrestlers at Oakwood, Starodub also trains in the sport with student-athletes at other schools in Morgan Hill.
“I like the high intensity of wrestling,” Starodub said. “It has very quick movements and can be more tiring. It requires quick reactions. I enjoy both wrestling and jiu jitsu but jiu jitsu is number one.”
Starodub began entering tournament competition at age 11. This past year’s championships were her third. After coming close in 2023, she saw what she needed to work on and improved in order to claim these impressive titles in 2024.
Starodub cites that all the “puzzle pieces” are coming together for her in jiu jitsu. She enjoys seeing improvement in her technique and envisions a bright future.
“I want to be as good as I can,” Starodub said. “I love training and I love competitions. If I have a chance to get into the Olympics, I would love that.”
Education remains the top priority for her and her family. Starodub feels her future career will be in astrophysics and would like to attend Cal or Stanford. She has always been interested in STEM subjects and enjoys the challenging classes she takes at Oakwood.
Along with academics and jiu jitsu, Starodub is active in other ways, including scuba diving, surfing, snowboarding and backpacking—including having climbed Half Dome in Yosemite. Participation and excellence in jiu jitsu provides time management skills, self-discipline, athletic fitness and self-defense skills and the joys of athletic competition.
“I am truly glad to have the opportunity to cooperate with her achievements and to be a positive influence in her journey through jiu jitsu,” Alef said. “With the drive and determination she possesses, I have no doubt that Katya will continue to reach new heights and accomplish even more in the years to come.
“The future is bright for her, and I am excited to see all that she will achieve.”
