By Waylon Galvez
ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan – Jiu-jitsu fighters Margarita “Meggie” Ochoa and Annie Ramirez gave the Philippines something to cheer about by ruling their respective events in the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games (AIMAG) yesterday at the Ashgabat Olympic Complex here.
It was the 27-year-old Ochoa who gave the Philippines its first gold medal following a 5-0 victory over Le Thu Trang Dao of Vietnam in the -45 Ne-Waza women’s category.
“I’m very happy… I’m really overwhelmed with this win,” said Ochoa, a 5-foot-1 beauty who won gold medal in the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation World Championship from 2014 to 2016.
On the other hand, Ramirez, a two-time Asian Beach Games winner, captured the gold in the -55kg division as she bested Jenna Kaila Napolis in an all-Filipino finalat the Martial Arts Indoor Arena.
The Philippines now has two gold, three silver and one bronze medals at presstime.
Aside from the silver of Napolis, Marc Alexander Lim and Gian Taylor Dee also settled for a silver medal in jiu-jitsu, while Alvin Lobreguito earned a bronze in traditional wrestling.
Lim and Dee both lost to their respective opponents from United Arab Emirates.