Annie Ramirez captures 1st jiu-jitsu world title, Kimberly Custodio wins 3rd crown

MANILA, Philippines, November 6 ------ Annie Ramirez is a world champion at last. After dominating the continent at every level, Ramirez finally reigned in the Jiu-Jitsu International Federation World Championships, striking gold in the adult female -57kg division in Bangkok, Thailand.

Ramirez, an Asian Games champion, earned a 2-0 win over Sweden’s Astrid Scholin in the final to capture the elusive title. “I’ve been trying to reach this gold since 2021. Last year, I finally got my first medal (a bronze), and now my first-ever finals, and I brought home the gold,” Ramirez wrote on her social media accounts.

The world championship stands as the crown jewel of her impressive collection, which includes gold medals in the Asian Championships, Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games, Asian Beach Games, and Southeast Asian Games. Ramirez won the Asian Games crown in 2023, and now 34 years old, she has proven that she remains at the top of her game. “I’m deeply grateful and thankful for this blessing — this title was one of the few missing pieces in my record, and I can finally tick it off the list,” said Ramirez.

The Philippines won another gold courtesy of Kimberly Anne Custodio, who claimed her third world championship in the adult female -45kg class following victories in 2022 and 2024. Custodio submitted UAE’s Aysha Alshamsi via armbar in the final to complete her title defense. Up next for Ramirez is the Southeast Asian Games to be held in December in Thailand, where she looks to win gold for the fourth straight edition.

Source: rappler.com