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Alexandria Luz Enriquez of the Philippines competes against Thailand's Orapa Senatham in the final of the women's -63kg in jiu jitsu in the 2026 Asian Games, October 3, 2026 at the Aichi Prefectural Martial Arts Hall. POC Media
NAGOYA – Alexandria Enriquez may not have won the Asian Games gold medal, but she walked away from the continental meet with a desire to represent the Philippines again.
The jiu jitsu No-Gi world champion had a dominant run leading up to the gold medal match, winning every match by submission up until the final.
Enriquez narrowly missed out on the gold in her Asian Games debut, losing to Thailand's Orapa Senatham via advantages in the final on Saturday at the Aichi Prefectural Martial Arts Hall.
READ: Enriquez claims jiu jitsu silver after loss to Thai foe in final
Her silver medal is the country's best finish in the sport, which is known for bringing home medals from multi-sport events.
"Sayang. Sobrang close right? Like, I had a very dominant run, I'd say no points scored on me, three submissions leading up to the finals. And then I faced a really tough opponent who I faced at [Asian] Beach Games actually and was able to get the submission on her," she told POC Media.
"But she came back with a vengeance, she was very strong and she played a good game. So, hats off to her for you know getting the win this time around," Enriquez added.
The Asian Beach Games gold medalist left it all on the mats in her first appearance in the continental showcase.
"I feel like I was really trying my best to push the action, hoping maybe she would have got called for a stalling or a negative or constantly backing up. But you know, it's the name of the game," Enriquez shared.
"You're when you're ahead of the points already like that. I mean, I don't blame her. You know, it's like whatever you can do to win," she added.
Enriquez reflected on her performance especially in the final and where she believes she could have done better.
"I could have transitioned a little bit faster to something. But, you know, I'm still proud and happy of my performance. I gave it my all, so there's no regrets. You know, I gave it my all, and I hope that, you know, the nation still supports me," she said.
"This is not going to be my last Asian Games. I absolutely have loved, and it's a big privilege and honor to be able to represent the Philippines and all the support I've been receiving from the country. So I'd love to be able to continue being a part of the national team for future events to come," Enriquez shared.
The jiu jitsu athlete is grateful for the bond she shared with her teammates, especially fellow world champion Annie Ramirez, Jolly Co and Marc Lim, who trained with her in Georgia before the Asiad.
"They had great performances this past week. And, you know, unfortunately, we didn't get all the medals to show off all the hard work and effort they put in. But our team is very strong. So, and other countries can see that. So it's just a matter of time before you see more Filipinos on the podium," Enriquez said.
ALL OUT SUPPORT FOR ALEX
Despite not getting the gold medal, Enriquez still feels like a winner with her fiancée and mother in attendance, flying all the way from the United States to Nagoya, Japan.
"It puts me at ease when they were able to finally come here. You know, traveling by myself, it's not necessarily easy. So as soon as they got here, I just felt right at home and I felt ready to give it my all. And it was so nice," Enriquez said.
"So it was amazing. And all my teammates, I could hear each and every one of them through every fight cheering me on. So it gave me a lot of power to push through," she explained.
Despite already being a decorated athlete, Enriquez has a much bigger goal than just winning medals and dominating competitions.
"My goal whenever I compete, is not only to win by just the hair on the back of my neck, it is just like I want to give a performance that people will always remember. It's something that by competing like that, I feel it gets you invited to other big opportunities," she shared.
"It gets more spectators, people who have never seen jiu jitsu, to be more involved and interested in the sport. So that's my goal too it's not just be an athlete, but be an entertainer as well," Enriquez added.
The 27-year-old will take a moment to celebrate her silver medal finish with her loved ones then fly back to America.
Up next for Enriquez is the Asian Indoor Martial Arts Games (AIMAG) in December.
"Yeah soon, AIMAG in December, that's the goal. As I stay healthy, hopefully, we'll see you all in Riyadh," she said.