NAIWAGAYWAY ni Annie Ramirez ang bandila ng bansa nang angkinin ang gintong medalya sa pahirapang finale sa Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship nitong Miyerkoles sa Mubadala Arena sa United Arab Emirates.

Mahigpitan ang naging laban at natapos sa iskor na 4-4, ngunit idineklarang panalo ang 28-anyos na si Ramirez bunsod nang mas dominanteng kilos laban kay American Sophia Dalpra sa female purple belt 55-kilogram final.

“This is my first gold in four years in the World Pro and it means a lot for me and my country,” pahayag ni Ramirez sa panayam sa pahayagang The Nationals ng Abu Dhabi.

“I got emotional because I have never won a gold on a world stage. It was a close fight and with the points tied, that was a long and anxious wait before I was declared the winner,” aniya.

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Regular na sumasabak si Ramirez sa Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship, dating World Pro, sa blue belt division. Nitong nakalipas na taon lamang siya sumabak sa purple.

“I didn’t give up on my goal of winning gold in the World Pro,” sambit ni Ramirez, pambato ng bansa sa 30th SEA Games sa Manila sa Nobyembre. “It also comes in time when the Philippines will host the SEA Games in December. This gold also means a lot for me as a jiu-jitsu teacher for kids with hearing impairment. I’m sure it will motivate those kids, and perhaps, see some of them competing in Abu Dhabi in the foreseeable future,” aniya.

Isang judo black belter si Ramirez bago lumipat sa jiu-jitsu may anim na taon na ang nakalipas. Naging miyembro siya ng National Team sa dalawang martial arts discipline.

Nabigong makasungkit ng medalya sa international judo competition si Ramirez, subalit naging matagumpay sa jiu-jitsu matapos magwagi ng gintong medalya sa Asian Beach Games sa Thailand (2014) at Vietnam (2016).

“It took me around two years to get adjusted to jiu-jitsu but I’m glad that I made the switch,” pahayag ni Ramirez.

Nagwagi si Ramirez kina Galina Duvanova ng Kazakhstan, 5-0, at Emirati Maha Al Hanaei by submission para makausad sa finals.

“All three fights were very hard but then you don’t expect it to be easy at this level. Now my focus is on the next competition in Mongolia and then prepare for the SEA Games. The gold in the World Pro is a good platform to work on my next objectives,” aniya.