Ratcliff ‘quick’ gold puts PH on track for best finish
All around the continent, Filipino athletes pieced together shining performances.
The young kids in Manama, Bahrain refused to be outdone.
All it took was a little over a minute for Charlie Ratcliff to put the Philippines back on the podium in the Middle East.
And with that “expected” triumph, the country has matched its best gold output in the Asian Youth Games—and with still six days of competition to go, Filipino officials said the delegation isn’t done yet.
The 16-year-old from Barangay Patun-an, Calatrava in Negros, captured the girls’ 45kg mixed martial arts gold medal at Exhibition World Bahrain, submitting Thailand’s Nakanantaphon Khaihong in the final in 63 seconds after earlier wins over Cambodia’s Vichetchantra Khorn and Kazakhstan’s Anelya Tsoy.
Charlie is the daughter of Maria Aisa Ratcliff, the first Filipino to win both Gi and No-Gi world grappling titles. Inspired by her mother’s legacy, Charlie has carved her own path to make her mark on the world stage.
“This gold medal was expected,” said Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham ‘Bambol’ Tolentino, who is overseeing the country’s AYG campaign for the first time.
“There was no doubt we would surpass the previous haul,” he said, referring to the two golds and three silvers from Nanjing in 2013, when Pauline Lopez (taekwondo) and Mia Legaspi (golf) delivered top finishes for the Philippines.
“And we still have a lot of potential winners,” Tolentino added. “Volleyball is quietly performing well, and we still have boxing, weightlifting and jiujitsu—many events where we can win more.”
Chef de Mission Ramon ‘Tats’ Suzara said the steady medal haul should ease the pressure on young athletes. “I always tell our players to just have fun and not let the pressure get to them,” he said. “When you play, play like you’ve got nothing to lose. Just enjoy the game.”
The Philippines now has two golds, two silvers and three bronzes, equaling its 2013 gold total. Kram Airam Carpio won the country’s first gold in pencak silat.
Delegation flag bearer Leo Mhar Lobrido led the Filipino boxers’ fierce charge, dominating Salte Alhadidi of Jordan, 5-0, in a flyweight duel on Friday.
Shairylle Pores, also 16, advanced in the girls’ light flyweight, scoring a split decision victory over Uzbekistan’s Bukhshonabonu Ahaduva, 3-2.
Young star Sam Cantada, meanwhile, and the Alas Pilipinas girls’ team overpowered Hong Kong, 25-15, 28-26, 25-21, to gain momentum in the round of eight.
