Filipino fighters rake in gold medals in Jiu-jitsu International Federation world tilt

MANILA, Philippines — Sixteen Filipino jiu-jitsu practitioners copped gold medals in the recent Sports Jiu-jitsu International Federation World Championship in Nagoya, Japan. 

Headlining the champions was Brielle Bartolome, who won both in the gi and no gi divisions. Playing as a kindergarten featherweight in the no gi category, Bartolome submitted Peng Nian of China via armbar to win the gold in the first round.

Bartolome then outpointed Nishimoto Wakana of Japan to rule the kindergarten gi rooster-weight division gold medal.

Also dominating the field was youth light featherweight no gi fighter Marcus Dela Cruz, who submitted all his opponents en route to the gold. He defeated China's Ma Haisen in the final round.

Youth gi featherweight champion Cesca Lepiten also submitted all her opponents to capture the gold, winning her last two including the final against Kimura Alana Liu via armbar in the second round.

Pre-teen no gi middleweight Thiago Bartolome also submitted his way to the championship after forcing Laptev Maksim to tap out after an Americana hold.

“I am very happy that our Philippine Junior Grappling Team comprised of different DEFTAC chapters are showing everyone how hard they work and how good they really are,” DEFTAC and Universal Reality Combat Championship founder and president Alvin Aguilar said.

The Philippines, represented by DEFTAC, competed against jiu-jitsu athletes from the United States, Japan, China, South Korea, Brazil and Hong Kong, among other countries.

All the medalists, according to Aguilar, are members of the Wrestling Association of the Philippines-RP Junior Grappling Team.

Also going home as champions are Claudia Lepiten in the toddler gi light featherweights, Tessa Joson in the junior teen featherweights, Ali Joson in the kindergarten no gi rooster-weights, Tomas Joson in the youth rooster-weights, Ethan Ramos in the pre-teen lightweights, and Uno Ordona in the pre-teen medium heavyweights.