By Jean Malanum
MANILA – Annie Ramirez, winner of the women’s -57kg gold medal at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, will lead the Philippines’ campaign in the 9th Jiu-jitsu Asian Championship scheduled from May 23 to 27 in Amman, Jordan.
Kimberly Anne Custodio, Jollirine Co, Ma. Daniella Palanca and Kaila Jenna Napolis are also competing along with 34 other Filipinos.
Custodio won the gold medal (adult female -45kg), Co took the silver medal (adult female -48kg) while Palanca (adult female -45kg) and Ramirez (adult female -57kg) got the bronze medals in the 2024 JJIF World Championship in Heraklion, Greece.
Napolis, on the other hand, bagged the gold medal in the -52kg at the 2023 World Combat Games.
“We’re just hoping for the best. Our athletes are competitive. They will give their best to bring honor to the country,” said nine-time Southeast Asian (SEA) Games judo gold medalist and now national jiu-jitsu coach John Baylon on Friday.
Ramirez, Custodio, Palanca and Co delivered medals in the last edition of the Asian Championships held in Aichi, Japan.
“The goal is to win the gold medal. I hope to achieve it. I know that I trained hard and I’m ready,” Ramirez said in an interview with Radyo Pilipinas 2 Sports on Thursday. (PNA)
