KAILA Napolis wound up with a bronze medal in the 20th Asian Games following losses suffered by reigning jiu-jitsu world champions Annie Ramirez and Kimberly Anne Custodio.
Napolis repeated her third-place finish in Hangzhou three years ago by overcoming Tsagaanbileg Altangerel of Mongolia, 2-0, in the repechage in the women’s -52kg division.
READ Mangin, Barbosa win two Asiad silver medals for PH in taekwondo
Napolis brought the medal to the jiu-jitsu squad after Ramirez, the reigning -57kg world champion, was ousted by Nuchanat Singchalad of Thailand in the round-of-16.
Custodio, another highly-touted jiu-jitsu fighter being the reigning -45kg world champion, was also ousted in her first bout in the -48kg category.
The 30-year-old Napolis beat Tran Thi Thanh Ha of Vietnam, 2-0, but lost to Mongoljin Ganbaatar of Mongolia, 3-2, in the quarterfinals.
But Napolis kept herself in contention for the bronze, nipping Rivas Sofia Anabel of Singapore via advantages after a 2-2 tie, and winning over Altangerel.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
