Isabella Butler clinched gold in jiujitsu, wrapping up Team Philippines' campaign with seven gold medals in the Asian Youth Games.
The Philippines capped its Asian Youth Games campaign on a high as Isabella Joseline Butler claimed gold in the jiujitsu girls' -63kg division on Thursday, providing a fitting finale to the team's campaign.
The 17-year-old Butler submitted the United Arab Emirates' Aysha Aljneibi via collar choke with one minute and five seconds remaining.
Butler, born in Davao City and now based in Huntington Beach, California, said she was proud to reconnect with her roots and wear the Philippine colours.
Her victory raised the Philippines' tally to seven gold, seven silver and ten bronze medals, enough for 12th place in the 45-nation meet.
"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,” Butler said.
Already a gold medallist at the JJIF Jiu-Jitsu World Championships in Greece last year, Butler said she now aims to join the adult national team and compete at the SEA Games.
"I plan to try out for the adult team next year and compete at the SEA Games."
On her path to gold, Butler beat Uzbekistan's Ziyoda Shomurodova, 4-0, in the semifinals after defeating Thailand's Maria Elissavet Kokoliou, 4-0, in the quarterfinals, and submitted Kazakhstan's Ayaulym Dossymzhankyzy in the 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," Butler said. "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."
Kram Airam Carpio won the Philippines’ first gold medal, topping the pencak silat, girls' 51-55kg, while also delivering gold for the national team were Charlie Ratcliff in modern MMA (girls' 45kg), Pi Durden Wangkay in athletics (boys' 200 m), 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 & Tyron Jamborillo (muay, mixed team mai muay).
Meanwhile, 15-year-old Mara Alexandria Sarinas added a bronze in the girls' -57kg jiujitsu division after a submission win over Thailand's Prasita Rumakom.
Sixteen-year-old Sebastien Blaize Cabanlig came close in the boys' -48kg jiujitsu but missed the podium.
On the mats and beach wrestling arenas alike, other young Filipinos posted valiant efforts though gold proved elusive.