PHNOM PENH, Cambodia – Kaila Napolis won the first gold medal of Team Philippines in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games on the eve of the opening ceremony.
Napolis bagged the gold medal in the jujitsu Ne-waza gi -52kg division, sweeping all four of her matches on Thursday capped by a victory over home bet Jessa Khan in the battle of undefeated competitors in the final.
A silver medalist in the 2019 SEA Games at the lighter 49kg class won by Khan, Napolis moved up and captured her first SEA Games gold before the biennial multisport competition formally opens on Friday.
WATCH her celebrate:
Napolis executed the winning move only in the final moments of a five-minute contest that Khan mostly dominated, stunning the local jujitsu hero in a bout that was witnessed by the country’s deputy prime minister.
“Parang talo na kasi eh. 0-0. Tinry ko ‘yung best na lumamang kahit two points lang at maka-sweep,” said the 25-year-old Muntinlupa native.
“Masaya lang na nabawian ko siya tapos sa bansa rin niya. Kasi natalo ako [noong 2019], sabi ko, babawian ko siya. Eto na ‘yung chance,” said Napolis.
“Ang tagal kong hinintay na nakabawi. Wala kasi ‘yung event ko last year,” added the College of Saint Benilde product.
Team Philippines still has other gold hopefuls in defending SEA Games champion Meggie Ochoa and Annie Ramirez, who are still competing at posting time, in the campaign supported by the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee.
A bronze medal was also won by the jujitsu team on Thursday through Karl and Harvey Navarro in the men’s duo.
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.
