Ramirez scores breakthru in world jiu-jitsu

MANILA, Philippines — Annie Ramirez enhanced her bid for the gold medal in this year’s Southeast Asian Games here, scoring a breakthrough in the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship in close fashion at the Mubadala Arena Wednesday.

Ramirez, 28, fought American Sophia Dalpra to a 4-4 duel in the female purple belt 55-kilogram final but took the nod of the refs and was declared winner.

“This is my first gold in four years in the World Pro and it means a lot for me and my country,” said Ramirez, who turned emotional during an interview with the National, a Middle East news service.

It was actually Ramirez’s biggest triumph, overshadowing her gold medal feats in the Asian Beach Games and Ashgbagat Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games, all in 2016.

“I turned emotional because I have never won a gold on a world stage and with the points tied, that was a long and anxious wait before I was declared winner,” she added.

Ramirez, who dominated Kazakhstan’s Galina Duvanova, 5-0, and United Arab Emirates’ Emorati Mana Al Hanaei via submission on her way to the final, said the victory came as a big boost to her SEAG campaign the country is hosting in November.

She and Margarita Ochoa, who also won a gold in last year’s World Championship in Malmo, Sweden, are tipped to spearhead the country’s bid in the sport in the upcoming SEAG.

Ramirez now shifts her training and focus in a Mongolian tournament and will then step up her buildup for the biennial meet.

“My focus now is the next competition in Mongolia and then prepare for the SEA Games,” said Ramirez, who also dedicated her victory not just to the Filipinos but also to children with hearing impairment.