Dean Roxas and Kimberly Custodio each claimed gold at the end of Day 1 of the ne-waza events in the 33rd SEA Games Jiu-jitsu competitions on Thursday at the Navaminda Kasatriyadhiraj Royal Air Force Academy in Bangkok, Thailand.
Roxas dominated Singapore’s Ee Aacus Hou Yu in the gold medal match, 50–0, securing his second SEA Games title in the men’s 85 kg category after first winning the crown six years ago in San Fernando, Pampanga.
Custodio, meanwhile, fended off hometown favorite Nutchaya Sugun, 3–0, in the women’s -48 kg division.
“It feels like a repeat of 2019. I have been through a lot this year, and I got injured in Japan almost three weeks ago,” said Roxas.
“I thought I wasn’t gonna compete. I’m grateful to be here, just soaking in the moment, representing the country and getting a gold for the Philippines.”
Roxas, a former Ateneo multi-sport athlete, overcame Vietnam’s Nguyen Tien Trien in the quarterfinals, 2–0, before defeating Indonesia’s Muhamad Nurul Fikri in the semifinals.
(C) POC Media
Custodio had a longer road to gold, stopping Vietnam’s Ha Thu Pham in the Round of 16, 2–0, and Indonesia’s Arba Nazwah Dzakira Putri in the quarterfinals.
The three-time IIJF World Champion then edged out Thai competitor Pechrada Kacie Tan on advantages in the semifinals to set up a showdown with Sugun.
Yman Baluyo added a silver medal for the Philippines following a 0–5 defeat to Vietnam’s Tung Dang Dinh in the men’s 69 kg gold medal match.
Three more bronzes were added to the haul with Kaila Napolis in the women’s 57kg, Vito Luzuriaga in the men’s 85kg, and Marc Alexander Lim in the men’s 69kg.
