Ochoa leads 3-gold attack in jiu-jitsu

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, Philippines — World champion Meggie Ochoa spearheaded the Philippine charge in jiu-jitsu where it hauled three gold medals yesterday in the 30th Southeast Asian Games at the Laus Group Events Center here.

Ochoa, 29, lived up to expectations as she bested Dao Le Thu Trang of Vietnam, 13-0, to claim the women’s under-45kg gold, one of the three won by the Filipino grapplers on the first of the two-day event.

It was another feather in Ochoa’s cap after she won in the World Championships in Sweden and a Grand Slam event in London while snatching a bronze in the Asian Games in Indonesia -- all coming in last year.

Dean Michael Roxas overwhelmed Singapore’s Benjamin Jie Jun Chia in the men’s U85kg and Carlo Angelo Pena trounced Indonesia’s Rengga Richard, 17-2, in the men’s U56kg to account for the host nation’s other two golds.

There was a chance for the country to rake in two more mints but it slipped in the hands of Jenna Kaila Napolis, who suffered a heartbreaking 2-2 defeat to Cambodia’s Jessa Khan in the women’s U49kg, and Marc Alexander Lim, who succumbed to Thailand’s Banpot Lertthaisong, 0-2, in the men’s U69kg.

Gian Taylor Dee contributed a bronze by defeating Ananda Ikhsan of Indonesia in the men’s U62kg.

The sport concludes today with five golds to be staked in the men’s U77kg, U94kg and U120kg and women’s U62kg and U55kg.