Shining in a man’s world isn’t easy.
But jiu-jitsu fighter Annie Ramirez gladly embraced the challenge, prompting her to become one of the country’s strongest, most competitive Filipina athletes of her generation.
In a telephone conversation with Daily Tribune on Friday, the 33-year-old Ramirez beamed with pride over her achievements in a sport greatly dominated by men.
“I just like it. It’s a contact sport and you can release your stress whenever you’re sparring or training,” said Ramirez, who can now be mentioned in the same breath as Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz of weightlifting, Olympic medalist Nesthy Petecio of boxing, Asian Games gold medalist Meggie Ochoa of jiu-jitsu, international campaigner Alex Eala of lawn tennis, and Japan-based Jaja Santiago of volleyball as among the greatest Filipina athletes of this generation.
“I’m happy with my achievements since I was able to show that while I’m a woman, I can keep up in the sport that is usually for men. At the same time, I can win and bring home achievements in the international arena.”
True enough, it isn’t easy standing tall in a male-dominated sport.
Ramirez, however, didn’t mind as she clinched the gold medals in the 2014 and 2016 editions of the Asian Beach Games in Thailand and Vietnam, respectively, and 2017 edition of the Asian Indoor Games in Turkmenistan.
She is also a feared jiu-jitsu fighter in the region being a three-time Southeast Asian Games champion.
But her most impressive victory was at the Asian level.
Ranged against a taller, longer foe from Kazakhstan, Ramirez displayed her nerves of steel to pull off a 2-0 victory in the final that gave the country its third gold medal in the women’s -57-kilogram event of the 19th Asian Games last October.
Ramirez broke down in tears, saying that the victory is not just a personal redemption, but also a strong statement that Filipinas can shine in a sport largely dominated by men.
Now, with jiu-jitsu not part of the program of sports for the Paris Olympics, Ramirez is taking her sweet time while attending to her coffee shop — ARK Cafe — that she put up using the incentives she collected from her triumphant performance in the Asian Games.
“I’m happy that we are making an impact on Filipino women. We’re giving them awareness of the sport and inspiration to the women,” Ramirez said.
“You won’t know it until you try it. For me, it is better if you try a sport because it is better to have it for your health and wellness.”
Yes, just like her coffee, making it big in a man’s world is truly sweet for Ramirez.
