CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
The Philippines has enjoyed a history of fighters, who have done the country proud.
From the legend Gabriel “Flash” Elorde who became the WBA and WBC World super featherweight champion in the 1960s to the iconic Manny Pacquiao, boxing’s only eight-division World champion.
There’s also Eduard “Landslide” Folayang, who was once the ONE world lightweight champion.
All of them are master strikers, but the grapplers are also looking to write their own names.
In a press conference Wednesday at Hai Chix and Steaks in Home Depot Ortigas, the country’s top Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu artists declared boldly that Filipinos could not only excel, but also dominate in the grappling art.
Ali Sulit, one of the national head coaches of Jiu-Jitsu Federation of the Philippines (JJFP), said the Philippines is already establishing a reputation as one of the best countries that harbor homegrown Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu artists.
“The Philippines is being recognized as a force to be reckoned with,” said Sulit, who is a 1st Degree Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt and a 5th Dan Judo Black Belt. “I think the Filipinos will do well in the Asian Games and in the upcoming Southeast Asian Games.”
It was also in that same press conference that the Philippines’ national sports association that handles jiu-jitsu unveiled its initial lineup for the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia.
Gian Dee, Marc Lim, Gilbert Ombao, Rian Seranilla, Kaila Napolis, Annie Ramirez, Mara Rafael, Sarah Tagle, Eros Baluyot, Natasha Rodriguez, Luigi Ladera, and Romeo Arellano are all part of the team with Meggie Ochoa, who won the gold in the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam World Jiu-Jitsu Tour in London, being the lone absentee in the media event.
Ramirez and Napolis are also medalists in the London meet winning silver and bronze, respectively.
“For the past years we have proven that Filipinos can excel in this specific sport and now we have multiple world champions who were trained here,” said Sulit. “Nasa dugo natin ang pagiging mandirigma (we have that warrior blood within us).”
The aforementioned artists have been included in the lineup after they were selected in the JJFP National Selection Championships that were held on Feb. 25, 2018.
Hansel Co, one of the head coaches of the federation, is hopeful that the current team can reap success in the international competitions.
“We have the potential to do great things, moving forward we can take Jiu-Jitsu to the next level, not only here in our country, but to the Asian level, and even world-wide,” said Co, who holds a black belt in the sport.