SAKHIR, Bahrain - Jiu-Jitsu ended Team Philippines' campaign in the 3rd Asian Youth Games with a bang, bagging a gold courtesy of Isabella Joseline Butler in the girls 63kg on Thursday.
The 17-year-old Butler outclassed Aysha Aljneibi of United Arab Emirates via submission (collar choke) to win the match and jiu-jitsu's lone gold in the tournament.
Butler's heroics gave the country its seventh and final gold for the meet which officially comes to a close on Friday.
The U.S.-based Fil-Am planed directly from Los Angeles to reconnect with her teammates here.
"I like to come in to tournaments with the mentality of I'm going to win cause I just like to keep the confidence the way I know," said Butler after the medal ceremony at Hall 1 of the Exhibition World Bahrain here.
"I think it helps like when you keep the confidence beforehand it helps you win a tournament."
That's what the Columbian Virtual School student did, as she blitzed her way to the gold.
Initially, she beat Ayaulym Dossymzhankyzy of Kazakhstan in the Round of 16 (50-0), downed Mari Kokkoliou of Thailand in the quarterfinals (4-0), and turned back Uzbekistan's Ziyoda Shomurodova in the semis (4-0), to arrange the finale against Aljneibi.
Aside from Butler's gold, jiu-jitsu also had bronze medal winner in Maria Alexandria Sarinas in the girls -57kg.
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.
