RAMIREZ, GOLD SA WORLD PRO JIU-JITSU SA UAE

UMANI ng gold medal ang Filipina jiu-jitsu fighter na si Annie Ramirez sa Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship noong Miyerkules, (araw ng Huwebes dito sa Pilipinas) sa Mubadala Arena sa Zayed Sports City sa United Arab Emirates.

Maluha-luhang tinang­gap ng 28-anyos na si Rami­rez ang kanyang medalya matapos ang makapigil-hiningang paghihintay sa anunsiyo ng referee kung sino ang nagwagi pagkaraang magtapos na tabla sa 4-4 ang laban nila ng Amerikanang si Sophia Dalpra sa female purple belt 55-kilogram finals. “This is my first gold in four years in the World Pro and it means a lot for me and my country,” ani Ramirez. “I got emotional because I have never won a gold on a world stage. It was a close fight and with the points tied, that was a long and anxious wait before I was declared the winner.”

Ito ang ikalawang pag­kakataong lumahok si Rami­rez sa Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship, na mas kilala bilang World Pro. Nauna na siyang sumali sa blue belt division at purple belt noong isang taon.

Sinabi ng Pinay fighter, napapanahon ang kanyang panalo para sa nakatakdang hosting ng bansa ng Southeast Asian Games sa Disyembre. “I didn’t give up on my goal of winning gold in the World Pro,” ayon pa kay Ramirez. “It also comes in time when the Philippines will host the SEA Games in December.”

“This gold also means a lot for me as a jiu-jitsu teacher for kids with hearing impairment. I’m sure it will motivate those kids, and perhaps, see some of them competing in Abu Dhabi in the foreseeable future.”

Isang dating national judoka, lumipat si Ramirez sa jiu-jitsu noong 2013.

Unang ginapi ni Ramirez si Galina Duvanova ng Kazakhstan, 5-0, at Emirati Mahra Al Hanaei (submission) upang umabot sa finals. “All three fights were very hard but then you don’t expect it to be easy at this level. Now my focus is on the next competition in Mongolia and then prepare for the SEA Games. The gold in the World Pro is a good platform to work on my next objectives.” (VA)