2 PH jiu-jitsu fighters get shot at Asian Beach Games gold

PHUKET, Thailand—Jiu-jitsu fighters Annie Ramirez and Maybelline Masuda advanced to the gold-medal matches in their respective categories Wednesday as the Philippines pressed its bid for a breakthrough victory at the fourth Asian Beach Games here.

Ramirez, 23, controlled the ground with authority in toppling Rushana Nurjanova of Turkmenistan, 12-0, to assure herself of a silver medal in the women’s -60 kg category, a day after legendary judoka John Baylon brought his act to jiu-jitsu and pocketed a bronze medal.

Masuda, a six-time champion in the open category of the Pan Asian International Jiu-Jitsu Championships, trounced Tatchapan Srisamer of Thailand, 18-8, before a crowd of frustrated hometown fans on Patong Beach.

The 25-year-old Filipino-Japanese, who captured the gold in the 2009 World Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Championships in California, advanced against Vietnamese in Le Thu Trang in the finals. She blew past Vietnam’s Anh Thu Ha in the preliminaries.

Ramirez, a former judoka whose last stint with the national team was in the 2011 Southeast Asian Games, guns for the gold against Thai Onanong Saengsirichok before the opening ceremony of the Games today where 77 Filipinos start their hunt for a medal in 16 sports.

“It’s a good start. We have never won the gold before, so we’re hoping that Maybelline and Annie could finally get it for us,” said chef de mission, fencing chief and actor Richard Gomez.

A nine-time SEA Games gold winner, Baylon submitted Thai Sooknatae Suntra with an armlock to reach the podium in the men’s 80 kg class.

“I would have been in the finals if not for a mistake I made in the semifinals,” said the 50-year-old Baylon, who took a 1-0 loss to Mohammad Mansooridavar after besting Saoud Alhammadi of United Arab Emirates.

“There’s more room for improvement,” said Baylon, the Air Force sergeant who founded his own judo and jiu-jitsu gym after retiring in 2012. “We can be good at this.”

Philippine Olympic Committee first vice president Joey Romasanta, Philippine Sports Commission chair Richie Garcia, POC executive board member Jonne Go and Gomez earlier led the raising of the national flag at Saphan Hin where the opening rites for the 45 participating countries will be held.

“Aside from jiu-jitsu, we’re also counting on other sports to deliver more medals,” said Romasanta.

In beach-flag football, the Philippine Eagles broke a winless spell by routing India, 52-14, at Saphan Hin. Already out of the medal round, the Eagles lost their matches against China, Japan, Kuwait and Thailand.