Coach Aithana Caranto led the Baguio and Benguet jiu jitsu teams in winning 20 gold medals in the Asian Sport Jiu Jitsu Federation (ASJF) Marianas Pro Manila Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Championship 2023 on Aug. 5 to 6 in Metro Manila.
Caranto of the C-Gambit Brazilian Jiu Jitsu-La Trinidad and the Philippine Military Academy bagged four gold medals in the female gi lightweight and openweight, and the no gi lightweight and openweight, blue belt category.
She went head-to-head with fellow playing PMA coach Jezebelle Padtoc of Ronin Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu-La Trinidad in all the categories, thus the latter settling for the silver medal.
Caranto’s performance led to her promotion to the purple belt by Prof. Manuel Jimenez III, head of Checkmat Philippines.
Axel Ross Danao of Ronin Brazilian Jiu Jitsu-La Trinidad followed with three gold medals in the blue belt categories of masters 1, lightweight – one each in the gi and no-gi, and one gold in the no-gi masters 1, openweight.
His teammate, Jail Officer 1 Arvin Jose, bagged two gold medals in the blue belt, gi, adult medium-heavyweight and in the no-gi openweight blue belt level and won two bronze medals in the gi openweight and no-gi openweight; and Ariel Jules Langaoan won two more gold medals in the blue belt no-gi featherweight and no-gi openweight.
Other Ronin members who also contributed medals were Marshal Caw-is with one gold in the purple belt, no-gi adult lightweight while winning two silver medals (gi featherweight and no-gi openweight) and bronze (gi openweight); Dahn Anthony Peliño with one gold in blue belt, gi, openweight and additional three silver medals in gi lightweight and gi openweight and no-gi openweight; Elgen Ivy Navalta who won gold via triangle choke in the blue belt, no-gi, light-featherweight and silver in gi, light-featherweight; and Joshua Carl Lalwet topping the white belt, no-gi, light-featherweight and another silver in the gi lightweight.
Ronin’s Nhel Justine Anioay bagged one gold in white belt, gi, juvenile featherweight; and Rafael Donglasan winning loop choke in the white belt, gi, teen light-featherweight; Cody Flint Mendoza won silver in no-gi white belt, light-featherweight; Ariel Alexander Alejandro bags bronze in the white belt, no-gi featherweight; and finalist Mclean Tudayan in the white belt.
C-Gambit Coach Wilbert Pinkihan added two gold in the purple belt, male masters 1 Gi and no-gi, both in the featherweight category and won silver medal apiece in the Masters 1 gi and no-gi openweight; while Overlimit Jiu Jitsu Academy-Baguio’s Rone Deliu won one gold in the white belt, no-gi, adults featherweight and silver in the white belt, no-gi open.
Checkmat Philippines, where Ronin Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and C-Gambit Jiu-Jitsu were affiliated, won second place for the Overall Gi Events and first place for the overall no gi events while Overlimit Jiu-jitsu Philippines won the second place for the overall no gi events. – Ofelia C. Empian
