In dad’s name, Ramirez scores fastest win–and guns for more
Annie Ramirez’s uses her strong affection for her father as a motivational tool to reach the top of the medal podium in every major tournament.
“He always makes a funny remark that every time I win a gold, it makes him live longer,” said Ramirez after bringing home a shiny gold medal to her father Lorenzo in their hometown, Naga City.
The nation’s best grappler just captured her third continental title at the recent Asian Jiujitsu Championships in Amman, Jordan, an upbeat start for Ramirez as she braces for two more big tournaments lined up this year.
“He might not be able to watch my matches because he’s suffering from glaucoma, but it’s really important for him to hold my gold medal. It gives him energy,” said Ramirez, whose 81-year-old dad recently recovered from a mild stroke.
Ramirez submitted Kazakhstan’s Galina Duvanova in the final of the women’s female -57kg division, the same foe she defeated for the gold medal during the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
She and Duvanova clashed on the mat five times, with the taller Kazakh winning only once back in the 2022 World Games in Birmingham, Alabama. The recent victory of the 34-year-old Ramirez pinned another loss to Duvanova in a record time of just 17 seconds.
“There were a lot of negative thoughts that ran in my mind prior to our match. I wasn’t satisfied with my first three matches going into the finals, so I thought that Galina would beat me this time,’’ said Ramirez, the 2019 world champion in her division.
Third gold
Before facing her nemesis, Ramirez already defeated South Korea’s Jin Lee-yu, Mongolia’s Narankhishig Baasanjargal and Uzbekistan’s Shakhzoda Azatova to arrange another finale with Duvanova.
“So I prayed to God to help me. What happened next was a miracle. I beat her in 17 seconds, the fastest time that I beat an opponent in my entire career,” added Ramirez.
Her third Asian gold after 2017 and 2023 will certainly bolster the preparation of Ramirez for a second consecutive stint in the 2025 World Games in Chengdu, China, from August 7 to August 17.
“It’s a good start in the Asian championships, my first international competition this year. I hope to replicate my performance in succeeding meets,” said Ramirez, who will plunge back into training and weight cutting this week.
“I wish to rewrite my story in the World Games after missing out on a medal. I hope I have grown from that experience,” added the protege of judo icon and jiujitsu coach John Baylon.
“I want to win more gold medals while my father is still around. He introduced me to sports when I was five. [It] was the biggest gift he gave as a father,” said Ramirez.
