The Philippine National Jiu-Jitsu Team is gearing up for the 33rd Southeast Asian Games next month, riding on the momentum from the 2025 Jiu-Jitsu World Championships. The team has returned to training to be better prepared for the regional competition.
The preparations include a training camp in Japan. According to coach Stephen Kamphuis, "Training is going well. We have two athletes per weight class and our target is to win as many golds as possible."
Annie Ramirez leads the team. She won two golds in the adult –57kg female division at Worlds. She said, "Even though I have a double gold, there are still things I need to work on. I'm also more careful in training because I can feel the fatigue."
Kaila Napolis, who moved up to a higher weight class, is also aiming for a gold medal. "It's exciting because I'm up against a different opponent now. I need to bulk up and improve my strength and conditioning," Napolis said. They both have the same goal of bringing victory to the Philippines, even if they face each other in the finals.
Also on the team are Myron Mangubat, who recently won gold at the Worlds, and debutants Kimberly Custodio and Santino Luzuriaga. According to the 19-year-old Luzuriaga, "It's more pressure but more pride to be able to make it to the SEA Games. We will do everything to give our best."
