Kaila Napolis nails 1st PH gold in SEA Games with sweet jiu-jitsu payback
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia – Jiu-jitsu standout Kaila Napolis delivered the Philippines its first gold medal in the Southeast Asian Games on Thursday, May 4.
Napolis bested home bet Jessa Khan, 2-0, to claim the top prize, completing her unbeaten run in the women’s ne-waza -52kg class at the Chroy Changvar Convention Center here on Thursday, May 4.
It was sweet revenge for Napolis after she finished as runner-up to Khan in the -49kg division of the 2019 SEA Games hosted by the Philippines.
Khan appeared in control for much of the duel until Napolis turned the tables with a last-minute sweep as she silenced the loud home crowd that included Cambodian SEA Games Organizing Committee vice chairman Hang Chuon Naron.
“I tried my best to get the lead even by just two points,” said Napolis in a mix of Filipino and English.
“It feels great to get back at her and in her own country no less. I told myself I’ll also beat her.”
Napolis dominated the competition as she also beat Singapore’s May Yong Teh, Thailand’s Nuchanat Singchalad, and Vietnam’s Dang Thi Huyen.
A gold medalist in the World Martial Arts Mastership Games, Napolis even broke the elbow of Thi Huyen after the Vietnamese refused to tap out from a kimura lock.
The jiu-jitsu squad claimed three medals for the day as brothers Harvey and Karl Navarro (men’s duo) and Isabela Montaña and Dianne Bargo (women’s show) snagged a pair of bronzes. – Rappler.com