PHILIPPINE national team mainstay Annie Ramirez once again proved her dominance on the mat, capturing the gold medal at the 9th Asian Jiu-Jitsu Championships in Amman, Jordan — the same stage where she claimed top honors in 2023.
Competing in the Women’s Adult -57 kg division, Ramirez led Team Philippines to a strong overall showing with one gold, two silvers, and five bronzes.
“No words can truly express how I feel about this competition,” Ramirez shared in a heartfelt social media post.
“Winning gold again at the 9th Asian Ju-Jitsu Championships in Amman, Jordan — just like in 2023 — feels surreal. But this year’s win was different. It felt like God’s work.
“Before I stepped on the mats for the final match, the only thing I prayed for was a clear mind and the ability to give everything I worked for in this journey. That finish—I wasn’t even thinking about doing it. It just… happened,” she added.
The Philippines’ collective output was good for a fourth-place finish behind powerhouse teams from Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates. The team edged out strong competitors from Jordan, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, and Thailand.
Kaila Napolis delivered one of the two silver medals for the Philippines in the Women’s Adult -52 kg division, while Dylan Valmores earned the other silver in the Women’s Adult +70 kg category.
The bronze medalists included Kimberly Ann Custodio in the Women’s Adult -45 kg, Joanne Tan in the Women’s Adult -70 kg, Carlo Pena in the Men’s Adult -56 kg, Santino de Luzuriaga in the Men’s Adult -62 kg, and Jhen Buzon in the Women’s Adult Fighting -52 kg.
Ramirez is set to compete at the 2025 World Games in Chengdu, China, this August.
She will be joined by fellow qualifier Napolis, who earned her spot through an earlier international tournament, and other Filipino athletes heading to the World Games that will compete in various disciplines, including billiards, duathlon, kickboxing, powerlifting, wakeboarding, and wushu.
Final confirmation is still pending for the country’s participation in dragon boat and floorball.
