Alexandria Enriquez delivers first gold for PH in Asian Beach Games; Napolis clinches bronze

Filipina martial artist Alexandria Enriquez opened the Philippines’ campaign in the 6th Asian Beach Games with a gold medal in the women’s 63kg final of the jiu-jitsu event on Thursday in Sanya, China.

Enriquez, who is based in the US, dominated her gold medal match against South Korea’s Lee Yeonji, 5-0, after hurdling foes from China, Thailand, and the UAE on her way to the finals.

Another jiu-jitsu athlete, Kaila Napolis, earlier claimed the first medal for the country as she defeated Kazakhstan’s Zhibek Kulumbetova in overtime in a bronze medal match. Napolis had also previously won bronze in the Asian Beach Games back in 2016.

Andrea Lois Lao made it to the medal rounds but fell short against Thailand’s Orapa Senatham, 3-0.

—JMB, GMA News