Kaila Napolis emerged as the lone podium finisher for the Philippine national jiu jitsu team on Friday after winning bronze in the women’s -52kg division at the Asian Games 2026 at Aichi Prefectural Martial Arts Hall.
Napolis, a gold medalist in the 2023 Southeast Asian Games, outlasted Mongolia’s Tsagaanbileg Altangerel, 2-0, in the bronze-medal match to give the Philippines its only jiu jitsu medal on Day 2 of the competition.
‘It’s an honor pa rin to win a bronze medal here in a big competition. I was happy I was able to pull the two points on this bronze medal,’ Napolis said.
Napolis reached the repechage after falling to Mongolia’s Mongoljin Gabaatar, 3-2, in the quarterfinals.
‘I’m so disappointed after the second match,’ said Napolis. ‘So I really wanted to bounce backwith the bronze medal. I wanna give it all. And thankfully, I was able to pull it off.’
Earlier, world champion Annie Ramirez, who won the -57kg gold at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, suffered a shock exit in the round of 16 after losing to Thailand’s Nuchanat Singchalad.
Napolis matched her bronze finish from Hangzhou and remained grateful for another Asian Games podium result.
‘This is still big for me. This is the Asian Games, and it happens every four years,’ said Napolis. ‘We’re a bit sad, of course, for others who couldn’t win a medal. But I’m super thankful for the support, especially the PSC, POC, and our federation.’
In other results, Luigi Dy lost to Mongolia’s Davaadorj Munkhtur, 3-0, in the men’s -77kg round of 32, while Mark Constance Vergel fell to Mongolia’s Shinezorig Bulgankhuu, 2-0, in the same round.
Romeo John Alfred Raphael Arellano also lost to United Arab Emirates’ Amaar Alhosani, 2-0, in the repechage.
Four more Filipinos will vie for medals on the final day Saturday: Vito Luisa Luzuriaga and David Miranda in men’s -85kg, and Andrea Lois Lao and Alenxandria Luz Enriquez in women’s -63kg.