Travis Ratcliff advanced to the gold medal match of traditional mixed martial arts in the Asian Youth Games without breaking a sweat on Friday.
After a unanimous decision victory over Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdurashidov in the quatrterfinals on Thursday, Ratcliff got a free pass to the final round when Osimi Begmurodzoda of Tajikistan failed to make weight in the boys 60kg class semifinals at Exhibition World Bahrain.
That means at least a silver medal for Ratcliff, who started training in jiujitsu when he was eight years old.
The 17-year-old Ratliff explained that traditional MMA fighters are required to weigh-in with the gi on, and that he usually needs to be at 59.3 kilos to be able to make the 60kg limit.
‘I hope to deliver gold for my family and the country,’ Ratliff said, adding that he is proud to contribute to the Philippines’ medal haul.
Ratliff faces either Satria Eka Suryo of Indonesia or Amirmohammad Hatamianafshari of Iran on Saturday.
Kram Airam Caprio of Santa Curz, Laguna, delivered the Philippines’ first medal, gold in pencak silat, before Kristen Ambriel Aguila earned silver in the girls’ individual poomsae.
The tecball girls’ pair of Crystal Cariño and Nicole Tabucol from Pangasinan bagged bronze.
Big win for Alas Women
Denesse Daylisan did not flinch when asked whether Alas Pilipinas would continue to make waves beyond the Asian Youth Games.
‘Yes, of course,’ Daylisan said, emphasizing the importance of continuity and cohesion after the team pulled off a stunning 25-20, 25-18, 25-20 win over Asian powerhouse China.
‘If the connection is solid, on and off the court, we can do well in international events.’
But Daylisan, one of the most experienced players on the squad, quickly noted that the Philippine women’s youth team members are not looking too far ahead.
Although locked in for the quarterfinals, the Philippines still has a match against Hong Kong, and Daylisan says the team needs to work on some things as they seek a place in the medal rounds.
‘We still need to polish our game. There are still some lapses that we focus on,’ Daylisan added.
Weightlifters gear up for battle
EYES will be on the Philippine team as the weightlifting competition gets going.
World junior championship gold medalists Jhodie Peralta, Jay-R Colonia and Alexsandra Ann Diaz compete along with Dave Pacaldo, Jerick Castro and Princess Jay Ann Diaz as they try to add to the Philippines’ medal haul.
Action in weightlifting starts on Sunday at the Exhibition World Bahrain in Sakhir.
The Filipinos are coming off a successful campaign in the IWF World Youth and Junior Championships in Lima, Peru, where they bagged 10 gold, three silver, and three bronze medals.
The 16-year-old Peralta, from Zamboanga City, led the Philippine charge during the campaign with three gold medals-snatch, clean and jerk, and total in the women’s youth 55 kg class.
Jay-R, son of Olympian Nestor Colonia, delivered two golds in the men’s youth 49 kg, while Diaz, niece of Philippines’ first ever Filipino Olympic gold medal winner Hidilyn Diaz, had a pair of gold medals in the women’s youth 45 kg event.
Meanwhile, teams from pencak silat, kurash, and teqball already returned to the country after accounting for two of the Philippine delegation’s four medals won so far.
Pesilat Kram Airam Carpio bagged the gold in the girls’ 51-55 kg class of pencak silat, while the duo of Crystal Carino and Nicole Tabucol provided a surprise bronze in the girls’ doubles division of teqball.