Ramirez gets going with another jiu-jitsu gold
MANILA, Philippines — At 35 years old, two-time world jiu-jitsu champion Annie Ramirez’s thirst for gold remains unquenchable.
It was for everybody to see in the 10th Asian Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan over the weekend, when she added overpowered Mongolian Shurentsetseg Enkhmunkh in the -57-kilogram finals to add another one to her vast collection.
Also delivering medals for the country were Joane Pauline Tan, who snared a silver in the adults female -70kg, and Dylan Chrystle Reign Valmores (+70kg), Eliecha Zoe Maliay (-45kg), Emily Rosalynn Thomas (-57kg) and Archie Brioso (adults contact -69kg), who each picked up a bronze.
It was the third gold for the decorated Filipina in the event after plucking a pair in Bangkok, Thailand three years ago and Amman, Jordan last year in the same weight class.
It also came a couple of months after she also struck gold in the Asian Beach Games in Sanya, China — also her third that competition after reigning supreme in 2014 in Phuket, Thailand and Danang, Vietnam exactly a decade ago.
She also has three Southeast Asian Games golds, one each in the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games and 2017 Ashgabat Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games and her crowning glory — two World Championship golds in Bangkok a year ago.
It was a testament to the hard work put up by Ramirez, who actually started out as a swimmer, shifted to judo before transitioning to the sport under the guidance of her coach — Filipino judo legend John Baylon.
Now, Ramirez sets her sights at more conquests as she is penned to wade into battle in this September’s Asian Games in Japan, this September’s Worlds, and this December’s AIMAG in Saudi Arabia where you expect her to go nothing less than that glittering gold.
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