MANILA – The Philippine National Jiu-Jitsu Team aims to carry the momentum from the 2025 Jiu-Jitsu International Federation World Championships to the 33rd Southeast Asian Games next month.
Fresh from the world championships, the team got back to work on the mats to prepare for the upcoming regional showcase.
The team also took part in a training camp in Japan as part of its preparations.
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"We believe that we will do well. The training has been going well. They just came back from worlds, they had a good preparation. So I think the way we're going now, we're hoping we'll do well as a team," the team's coach Stephen Kamphuis told ABS-CBN News on Sunday.
"We have a very strong showing in the women's team, but we also have a very strong showing in the men's team. We have two athletes per weight class so our goal is to win as much as possible," he added.
Annie Ramirez of the Philippine national jiu-jitsu team. Paige Javier, ABS-CBN News
Three-time SEA Games gold medalist Annie Ramirez headlines the team in the regional showcase. She recently won two gold medals in the adult –57kg female division in the World Championships.
Ramirez said she's already putting the World Championships behind her, as she sets her sights on the SEA Games.
"Kung ano yung dapat ko pang i-work na nakita ko nung World Championship or hasain pa. Kahit sabihin mo nag-double gold ako, meron parin mistakes doon na dapat mas pulido pa," she said.
"Walang nagbago sa training. I think mas naging careful lang ako sa training kasi hindi na ako masyadong bata as I used to be. These past few weeks nararamdaman ko yung fatigue," the 34-year-old added.
Ramirez said she is also keeping an eye on her teammate, fellow SEA Games gold medalist Kaila Napolis, who has moved up to her weight class.
"Nangyari na yan sa amin before, sa AIMAG kami rin nag-ano sa division namin. 2017 pa yun, matagal na yun. Saka batang-bata pa siya nung time na yun. Looking forward ako na i-close out namin ulit yung division. Tingnan nalang natin sino mananalo sa amin," she said.
"I think [si Kaila] magiging one of the biggest [competition] ko. Alam ko yung hard work ni Kaila, alam ko yung dedication niya. Mas kinakabahan ako actually," Ramirez added.
As for Napolis, who has experienced moving up a division in the past, she said this time she has to put more effort in.
The 29-year-old won gold in the 2023 Cambodia SEA Games in the –52 kg class.
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"My mindset for this competition, same parin to win a gold medal. So yun parin ang goal every SEA Games," she said.
"It's a big adjustment kasi yung mga kalaban ko hindi ko pa sila nakakalaban before. So sobrang exciting and I have to prepare more, to bulk up, and yung strength and conditioning yun yung adjustment," Napolis explained.
When asked about the possibility of facing her teammate Ramirez again, she said their main goal is to bring glory to the country.
"For the Philippines parin. I'm hoping sa finals na kami magkikita. I think siya nga yung pinakamalakas sa division ko eh. And siya rin yung nag-gold sa last SEA Games," Napolis said.
Kaila Napolis of the Philippine national jiu-jitsu team. Paige Javier, ABS-CBN News
Another familiar face in the team is SEA Games bronze medalist Myron Mangubat, who recently won his first gold at the World Championships.
"Healthy ako. I think extra confidence din yung nanalo ako last few competitions ko. Ginawa ko rin yung Worlds para ma-test ano yung nag-wowork for me, kung saan ako malakas. I'm going into SEA Games with extra experience," he said.
Mangubat aims to win gold after his bronze medal finish in the 2023 edition.
While the team has veterans, there are also some jiu-jitsu artists making their debut in the regional showcase, after being tested on the international stage.
Among them is Kimberly Custodio, who is already a three-time World Champion, but will be competing in the -48kg class.
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"Sa akin hindi ako nag-eexpect na manalo. Pero sure I'll do my best to get my first medal sa SEA Games," she said.
"Excited ako kung paano niya i-deal yung game ko and kung paano ko din i-deal yung adjustments niya," Custodio said of her opponents, who are familiar foes.
Santino Luzuriaga, 19, is feeling mixed emotions heading into his first SEA Games, despite already competing in the World Championships.
He will be competing in the –62 kg class, alongside his teammate Mangubat.
"I'm both excited and I definitely feel the pressure. I need to prepare for this one right compared to the others I joined before. I think this one means more because I feel like it brings more pride to the country if we win here," he said.
"We wanna give our best because we can't exactly control the result. Ultimately what we wanna do is the very best that we can, go all out, that's all we can control," the 19-year-old said.
Luzuriaga, who is also coached by former World champion Meggie Ochoa, shared the advice he got from her.
"She always says don't focus on the result. Work on your performance. You want a medal definitely. But if you focus on the medal too much, it's too much pressure, it will probably affect your performance. I'm privileged to be in this team," he said.
The team says their tough opponents are from host Thailand and Vietnam, while Singapore and Cambodia also have strong athletes.
In the 2023 SEA Games, the Philippines took home a total of 12 medals: 3 golds, 5 silver and one bronze.