Annie Ramirez added a golden feather to the nation’s cap.
With her remarkable performance in the women’s minus-57kg category at the Xiaoshan Linpu Gymnasium on Friday, Ramirez secured the Philippines’ third gold medal in the 19th Asian Games.
Ramirez’s journey to gold was nothing short of spectacular.
She displayed unwavering determination, clinching victory after victory in an unbeaten run.
A three-time champion in the Southeast Asian Games, Ramirez left no room for doubt as she triumphed over formidable opponents to claim the top spot on the podium.
Her path to glory included defeating Vietnam’s Le Thi Thuong, Singapore’s Fiona Toh, and the UAE’s Shamsa Alameri.
However, the pinnacle of her achievement came in the final, where she secured a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Kazakhstan’s Galina Duvanova.
Ramirez’s golden triumph followed closely on the heels of her fellow jiu-jitsu standout, Meggie Ochoa, who emerged as the second Filipino gold medalist in Hangzhou.
This dynamic duo’s remarkable performances have rekindled the Philippines’ hopes in the Asian Games.
Notably, jiu-jitsu has become a significant contributor to the Philippines’ medal tally in the continental meet.
Alongside Annie Ramirez’s gold and Meggie Ochoa’s gold, Kaila Napolis added a bronze medal in the women’s -52kg category. Napolis, celebrated for securing the Philippines’ first gold in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, continued to make her mark on the international stage.
