BAHRAIN/MANILA – US-based Filipino Isabella Joseline Butler ruled the jiujitsu girls’ -63kg division at the Exhibition World Bahrain in Sakhir on October 30 to end the Philippines’ campaign in the Asian Youth Games.

The 17-year-old Butler conquered United Arab Emirates’ Aysha Aljneibi via a collar choke with 1 minute and 5 seconds remaining.

“We found that there was a way to represent the Philippines through the sport that I love, and I’m grateful I got the chance to do so,” said Butler, who was born in Davao City and is now residing in Huntington Beach, California.

She prevailed over Uzbekistan’s Ziyoda Shomurodova, 4-0 (semis), Thailand’s Maria Elissavet Kokoliou, 4-0 (quarterfinals), and Kazakhstan’s Ayaulym Dossymzhankyzy (round of 16).

“I was able to get to my controlling positions at close guard, which I love, and I was able to work from there. All of the stuff that I’ve been doing in training, working on close guard and attacks from there, as well as my lapel guard, which I was able to display today, that was really cool,” said Butler, the gold medalist of the 2024 JJIF Jiu-Jitsu World Championships.

“I plan to try out for the adult team next year and compete at the SEA Games,” she added.

Butler’s victory hiked Team Philippines’ tally to seven gold, seven silver, and 10 bronze medals, good for 12th place in the 45-nation meet.

The other gold medal winners were Kram Airam Carpio (pencak silat girls’ 51-55kg), Charlie Ratcliff (modern MMA girls’ 45kg), Pi Durden Wangkay (athletics boys’ 200m), Lyre Anie Ngina (muay girls’ wai kru 14-15), Zeth Gabriel Bueno (muay boys’ wai kru 14-15), and the pair of Jan Brix Ramiscal and Tyron Jamborillo (muay mixed team mai muay).

Meanwhile, 15-year-old Mara Alexandria Sarinas got a bronze in the jiujitsu girls’ -57kg division after a submission win over Thailand’s Prasita Rumakom.

Sebastien Blaize Cabanlig, 16, missed on the podium in the jiujitsu boys’ -48kg division.

 The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) will provide cash incentives to the medalists in the just-concluded Asian Youth Games in Bahrain.

PSC chairman Patrick John Gregorio announced this in a press conference hosted by the Philippine Olympic Committee at the East Ocean Palace Restaurant in Pasay City.

Gregorio said the gold medalists will get P500,000 each, the silver medalists P300,000 each, and the bronze medalists P100,000 each.

In addition, the gold medalists will receive units of iPhone 17 Pro Max while the silver and bronze winners will get iPhone 17 units from SportsPlus, the official gaming partner of the Philippine Olympic Committee.

Team Philippines won seven golds, seven silvers, and 10 bronzes to finish 12th in the 45-nation tournament held from Oct. 22 to 31.

The gold medalists are US-based Filipino Isabella Joseline Butler (jiujitsu girls’ -63kg), Kram Airam Carpio (pencak silat girls’ 51-55kg), Charlie Ratcliff (Modern MMA girls’ 45kg), Pi Durden Wangkay (athletics boys’ 200m), Lyre Anie Ngina (muay girls’ Wai Kru 14-15), Zeth Gabriel Bueno (muay boys’ Wai Kru 14-15), and the pair of Jan Brix Ramiscal and Tyron Jamborillo (muay mixed team mai muay).

Naomi Cesar (athletics girls’ 800m), Travis Ratcliff (Traditional MMA boys’ 60kg), Kristen Ambriel Aguila (taekwondo girls’ individual recognized poomsae), Jan Brix Ramiscal (Wai Kru 16-17), Jasmine Dagame (muay girls’ Wai Kru 16-17), Jamesray Mishael Ajido (swimming boys’ 100-meter butterfly) and Jhodie Peralta (weightlifting girls’ 53kg snatch) delivered the silver medals.

The other bronze medalists are Peralta (clean and jerk), Leo Mhar Lobrido (boxing boys’ 46kg class), Jay-r Colonia (weightlifting boys’ 56kg clean and jerk), Princess Jay Ann Diaz (weightlifting girls’ 44kg clean and jerk), Alexsandra Ann Diaz (weightlfting girls’ 48kg clean and jerk), Crystal Carino and Nicole Tabucol (teqball girls’ doubles), Iyeshia Blair Bituin (muay girls’ -51kg combat discipline 16-17), Mara Alexandria Sarinas (jiujitsu girls’ -57kg), Aeden Roffer Cereno (taekwondo boys’ individual freestyle poomsae) and Alexander Tagure Jr. (Modern MMA boys’ 50kg).