Kaila Napolis turned a painful quarterfinal loss into Asian Games bronze, winning the women’s -52kg jiu jitsu medal for the Philippines on Friday, Oct. 2, at the Aichi Prefectural Martial Arts Hall. It was the country’s only jiu jitsu medal on Day 2.

Napolis beat Mongolia’s Tsagaanbileg Altangerel, 2-0, for bronze at the 20th Asian Games after going through the repechage. A 2-3 quarterfinal loss to Mongolia’s Mongoljin Gabaatar sent her there, and she said she wanted to make up for it.

Kaila Napolis Fights Back Through Repechage to Win Asian Games Bronze

Napolis, who fell to Gabaatar in the quarterfinals, said the setback stung early. “Well, sobrang disappointed ko na nung second match pa lang,” she said.

“So gusto ko talagang bumawi with the bronze medal. I wanna give it all. And thankfully, na-pull off ko naman siya,” she added. She then dominated the bronze-medal match against Altangerel.

Napolis was proud of the result. “Well, bronze medal, it’s an honor pa rin to win a bronze medal here in a big competition. I was happy I was able to pull the two points on this bronze medal,” she said. The 2-0 win sealed the medal.

Napolis, 30, also won bronze at the Hangzhou Asian Games, making this her second straight podium finish at the event. She is also a bronze medalist at the 2026 Asian Beach Games.

Annie Ramirez, Philippine Jiu Jitsu Team Fall Short

Earlier Friday, world champion Annie Ramirez, the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games gold medalist in -57kg, suffered a shocking exit in the -52kg round of 16. She lost to Thailand’s Nuchanat Singchalad.

Antonio Luigi Dy lost to Mongolia’s Davaadorj Munkhtur, 0-3, in the men’s -77kg round of 32. Mark Constance Vergel fell to Mongolia’s Shinezorig Bulgankhuu, 0-2, in the same round.

Romeo John Alfred Raphael Arellano fell to Amaar Alhosani of the United Arab Emirates, 0-2, in the men’s -94kg repechage. Napolis was the Philippines’ lone jiu jitsu medalist through Day 2.

Napolis said the medal carries extra weight at the continental meet. “Sobrang laking bagay. Siyempre, Asian Games siya. Every four years lang merong Asian Games,” she said.

“We’re a bit sad, of course, dun sa mga hindi nag-medal. But I’m super thankful pa rin sa support. Lalo na sa PSC, POC, and sa federation namin,” she added. The team is backed by the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee.

Four more Filipinos compete Saturday, Oct. 3, the last day: Vito Luis Luzuriaga (men’s -85kg), Andrea Lois Lao (women’s -63kg), David Miranda (men’s -85kg) and Alexandria Luz Enriquez (women’s -63kg). They will try to join Napolis on the podium.