MANILA – JJIF World Champions Annie Ramirez and Kimberly Custodio banner the 15-strong Philippine Jiu-Jitsu Team led by coach Allan Co at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan next month.
Ramirez brought home one of the country's four gold medals in the 2022 Hangzhou Asiad, after ruling the ne-waza women's -57kg category in jiu-jitsu.
Jiu-jitsu icon Meggie Ochoa won the other gold in the sport in the women's -48kg class.
READ: PH's Kimberly Custodio, Annie Ramirez strike gold in 2026 JJIF World Championships
Ramirez has been on a gold rush so far this year, winning at the 6th Asian Beach Games, 10th Asian Jiu Jitsu Championship and most recently the JJIF World Championship.
Despite these achievements, the 35-year-old said there's no room for complacency as she faces a new challenge in the upcoming Asiad.
The three-time world champion will have to move down from the -57kg class, competing in the women's -52kg division alongside teammate and 2022 Asiad bronze medalist Kaila Napolis.
"Ibang challenge na naman. I think much times too. Aside sa pressure na defending champion ako even though hindi ‘di ba? Another more challenge is the weight cut. Kasi yung typically walking weight ko from the 57[kg] kasi mga around 59, 60. Yun na medyo good eating habit ko," she told ABS-CBN News in an exclusive interview last Saturday.
"Noong 2018, nag-try ako ng 63 or 62, that time 62 pa lang yun, noong 2018. Hindi talaga ako pinapalad pag-Asian level yung usapan. So, doon tayo sa mas malapit ako sa katotohanan na magme-medal ako," Ramirez explained.
More than the pressure of entering Asiad as a previous gold medalist, the 35-year-old said she's concerned about the weight cut.
READ: At 35, Annie Ramirez continues to inspire others, win for PH
"Actually yung pressure, mas iniisip ko yung pagbaba eh. Hindi yung paglalaro. Yung pag-weight cut. Kasi for me, yung unang-unang challenge talaga na dadaanan ko. Hindi ako makapaglaro, hindi ako makakuha na weight," she said.
"So, hindi ko masyadong inisip yung expectation ng tao sa akin na they expect me to get the gold," Ramirez added.
Four-time JJIF World Champion Kimberly Custodio will be boosting the team, as she makes her first appearance at the Asian Games.
Philippines' Kimberly Custodio in training. Paige Javier, ABS-CBN News
The 39-year-old is looking to sustain the momentum from the JJIF World Championships and the 33rd Southeast Asian Games, where she also won gold in her debut.
Custodio will be competing in the -48kg category, which is three kilograms higher than her usual -45kg class.
"Bagong challenge siya. Excited ako, actually. Nung nakita ko yung mga kakalaban ko nung Worlds, sila din yung mga mahihirap kalaban sa Asian Games. So, hindi ako kinakabahan," Custodio told ABS-CBN News in an exclusive interview last Saturday.
"Dun ko makikita ulit yung skills ko. Dun ko matetest yung skills ko kung kaya ko mapaglaban sa someone bigger and stronger. Ayun, kailangan ko lang mag-bulk up ng konti," she said.
READ: Annie Ramirez strikes gold anew at 10th Ju Jitsu Asian Championship
Given this new challenge, Custodio is already locked in and ready to give her all in her Asian Games debut.
"Mag-train ako ng harder, harder than I ever trained before. Kasi alam ko, ito yung first Asian Games ko. And then you know at 39, hindi natin masasabi, baka ito na rin yung last Asian Games ko. So, sobrang ibibigay ko talaga lahat ng meron ako. Lalaban ko ng patayan to para sa gold medal sa bansa natin," she said.
Joining Ramirez and Custodio are Jollirine Co (-48kg), Napolis (-52kg), IBJJF World Champion Alexandria Enriquez and Andrea Lois Lao (-63kg).
NEW FACES IN MEN'S TEAM
Young and new faces in the Philippine men's jiu-jitsu team are aiming to make their mark at this year's Asiad.
After winning silver at his SEA Games debut and capturing bronze in the JJIF World Championships, Yman Baluyo is looking forward to competing at his first Asiad.
READ: Jiu-jitsu athlete Yman Baluyo looks to carry momentum from SEAG to Asian Beach Games
Baluyo will be competing in the –69kg men's category alongside veteran and SEA Games gold medalist Marc Lim.
Philippines' Yman Baluyo in training. Paige Javier, ABS-CBN News
"This coming Asian Games, hopefully, ma-bring ko din yung momentum dun. Ready na ready na. Taas na nung confidence ko. Andami nangyari recently. And, ayun actually. Right now, naghahanda na kami para sa Asian Games. And sigurado to, todo nanaman yung training," Baluyo told ABS-CBN News in an exclusive interview last Saturday.
"Nakita ko talaga sa sarili ko na I can handle the world. Ayun yung naging parang phrase ko recently, I can handle the world. Even though may mga mas magagaling sa akin, there's still a shot for me. There's still a big shot for me and I'm going to take that shot in whatever way I can. So, hopes are high," he added.
For Baluyo, he believes he has gained more experience since his SEA Games debut.
"The only thing I need to do is make sure na magamit ko yung energy na yun para to train my very best so I can be the very best doon sa Asian Games," he said.
"Rookie ako last year sa adults. And yung mga kalaban ko talaga nun, next level talaga. So I was still adjusting nun as a kid, as a teenager. Pero now na nandito na ako sa adults, I'm still maturing definitely. Pero I think I've matured enough to the point that I can definitely be up there with the other seniors dun sa division ko," Baluyo shared.
Antonio Luigi Dy will be making his debut at the 20th Asian Games, after getting his feet wet at the JJIF World Championships and Asian Beach Games.
Dy ranked ninth in both major competitions where he competed in the –77kg division.
In his Asiad debut, the 32-year-old will be representing the Philippines alongside Mark Constance Vergel in the same weight class.
"All my life I've really worked hard whenever I had a competition. But this Asian Games, I know I have to step it up because the level is something I've felt recently and it's really high. So yeah, I'm just using the pressure to get better to be able to perform as best as I can," Dy told ABS-CBN News in an exclusive interview last Saturday.
The 32-year-old is determined to bring home a medal in the men's division in the Asiad, drawing inspiration from the impressive performance of their female counterparts.
"We've been doing better every competition I've joined. So, we've been getting better and better and better. And especially the females, they're the favorites to win. So that puts a good mindset for the guys that we have to step up, we have to train harder. So it's, again, good pressure," Dy said.
The men's team includes several veterans JJIF World Champion Myron Mangubat and SEA Games bronze medalist Santino Luzuriaga (-62kg), Mark Constance Vergel (-77kg), SEA Games bronze medalist Vito Luzuriaga and David Miranda (-85kg), and IBJJF Asian Champion Romeo Arellano (-94kg).
Annie Ramirez of the Philippines beats compatriot Emily Thomas for the jiu-jitsu women's 57kg gold in the 6th Asian Beach Games in Sanya, China on April 25, 2026. POC MEDIA POOL/File
Ramirez is optimistic of Team Philippines' chances in jiu-jitsu, given their showing in previous competitions and hard work they put in training.
"Looking forward ako sa performance nila. Siyempre nakikita ko rin naman nakasabay ko sila sa training and nakikita ko yung hard work na binibigay nila. Seryoso naman din sila. So then the same time, for the Worlds, maganda din yung performance ni Yman. So kasama din namin siya," she said.
"Lagi naman may chance for them. Kailangan lang talaga push, push pa ng push, hindi sila maging kampante sa ginagawa nila. Kailangan magiging consistent yung hard work, mental preparation, very important yun aside sa physical... And sana lahat kami makapag-deliver ng magandang result. Kung pwede nga lahat, kami gold, di ba?" Ramirez added.
READ: Annie Ramirez reflects on 'memorable' third Asian Beach Games gold
The Asian Games jiu-jitsu competition will run from October 1 to 3 at the Aichi Prefectural Martial Arts Hall