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From a two-gold finish in the previous Asian Youth Games edition over a decade ago, the Philippines more than triples its golden loot thanks to strong performances by athletes in athletics, jiu-jitsu, mixed martial arts, muay, and pencak silat

MANAMA, Bahrain – The Philippines wrapped up its finest campaign in the Asian Youth Games with a seven-gold, seven-silver, 10-bronze haul.

From a two-gold finish in the previous edition in 2013 in Nanjing, China, the Philippines more than tripled its golden loot thanks to strong performances by athletes in athletics, jiu-jitsu, mixed martial arts, muay, and pencak silat.

The last of those golds came on the final day of competition on Thursday, October 30, courtesy of jiu-jitsu standout Isabella Joseline Butler.

Butler, a 17-year-old Filipina-American, completed her unbeaten run in the girls’ -63kg division with a submission victory over UAE’s Aysha Aljneibi in the final.

The muay team accounted for three golds, with Lyre Anie Ngina (girls’ wai kru 14-15), Zeth Gabriel Bueno (boys’ wai kru 14-15), and Jan Brix Ramiscal and Tyron Jamborillo (mixed team mai muay) topping their respective events.

Ramiscal nearly pulled off a golden double but settled for silver in the boys’ wai kru 16-17 following a tiebreaker with Thailand’s Pimpichien Chaiwan.

The gold rush in muay allowed the Philippines to sit at as high as fifth in medal tally before it got overtaken by other countries and finished 12th overall, its same ranking in 2013.

Chinese Taipei (seven golds, nine silvers, 24 bronzes) and South Korea (seven golds, seven silvers, and 11 bronzes) edged the Philippines for a higher spot.

Pencak silat bet Kram Airam Carpio broke the golden ice for the Philippines with her triumph in the girls’ 51kg-55kg class before MMA ace Charlie Ratcliff followed suit by reigning supreme in the girls’ 45kg modern category.

Athletics rising star Pi Durden Wangkay then sprinted his way to the Philippines’ third gold as he got the job done in the boys’ 200m.

Naomi Cesar made a run for another athletics gold but got silver instead in the girls’ 800m run.

Other silvers came from muay’s Jasmine Dagame (girls’ wai kru 16-17), MMA’s Travis Ratcliff (boys’ 60kg traditional), swimming’s Jamesray Ajido (boy’s 100m butterfly), taekwondo’s Kristen Aguila (girls’ individual recognized poomsae), and weightlifting’s Jhodie Peralta (snatch, women’s 53kg).

Peralta won the clean and jerk bronze as well to cap a solid showing from the weightlifting team, which bagged three other bronzes courtesy of Princess Jay Ann Diaz (clean and jerk, girls’ 44kg), Alexsandra Ann Diaz (clean and jerk, girls’ 48kg), and Jay-r Colonia (clean and jerk, boys’ 56kg).

The Philippines’ other bronze medalists included boxing’s Leo Mhar Lobrido (boys’ 46kg), jiu-jitsu’s Mara-Alexandria Sarina (girls’ 57kg), MMA’s Alexander Tagure Jr. (boys’ 50kg modern), muay’s Iyesha Blair Bituin (girls’ -51Kg combat discipline 16-17), taekwondo’s Aeden Roffer Cereño (boys’ individual freestyle poomsae), and teqball’s Crystal Cariño and Nicole Tabucol (girls’ doubles).

China defended its overall championship with 63 golds, 49 silvers, and 35 bronzes, while Uzbekistan (37-16-28) and Kazakhstan (24-29-40) claimed the second and third places, respectively.

Shelved for over a decade, the Asian Youth Games will now be held biennially, with the next edition to be hosted by Uzbekistan in 2029. – Rappler.com