Maria Aisa Ratcliff (left) and Fierre Afan show off their medals at the 2023 United World Wrestling United World Grappling Asian Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan.
MANILA, Philippines – Fierre Afan and Maria Aisa Ratcliff exhibited exceptional grappling skills and secured two gold medals collectively at the 2023 United World Wrestling United World Grappling Asian Championships held in Astana, Kazakhstan.
Demonstrating incredible composure and strength, the 19-year-old Afan emerged victorious in both the junior grappling under-20 men’s 71kg No Gi and the 71kg Gi categories, defeating all four opponents and even overpowering world champion Artem Khvan of Kazakhstan with a score of 9-2 in the finals.
In the No Gi event, Afan triumphed over Khvan and later defeated another highly-ranked grappler from Kazakhstan, Meiirbek Yeskazyyez, with a 3-0 victory in the Gi category. He also earned two silver medals in the senior 71kg class for both events.
Ratcliff, on the other hand, asserted her dominance in the women’s senior 53kg category in both Gi and No Gi disciplines, prevailing over all four opponents. Her remarkable feat includes a thrilling win over Kazakh Alina Kaskinova, with a score of 6-5, in the Gi event.
Team Philippines achieved a total of four gold, five silver, and two bronze medals in the tournament, securing a third-place finish among Asian nations, just behind Kazakhstan and Iran.
“Fierre defeated a world champion. It’s an outstanding performance, and we are delighted with the results of our athletes. However, we won’t rest or celebrate just yet, as we aim to carry this success into the upcoming world championships,” stated Alvin Aguilar, President of the Wrestling Association of the Philippines.
Lukie and Lucho Aguilar also contributed to the team’s success by winning two medals each. Lukie claimed silver in the No Gi and Gi boys’ under-17 categories, while Lucho secured silver in the No Gi and bronze in the Gi under-15 division.
Vince Ortiz (senior men’s Gi 62kg) and Michael Tabamo (men’s grappling 62kg) achieved bronze medals, further adding to the podium finishes for the Philippines.
“Our performance in this tournament will inspire more athletes to strive for excellence and aim for gold every time they step onto the mat,” Aguilar added.
Meanwhile, Lester del Rosario made history as the first Filipino international-licensed referee in both grappling and wrestling after participating in the Kazakhstan meet.
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