Meggie Ochoa leads PH jiu-jitsu's golden SEA Games 2019 haul

DOMINANCE. Meggie Ochoa scores a shutout win over her Vietnamese foe. File photo by Adrian Portugal / Rappler

SAN FERNANDO, Philippines – Meggie Ochoa achieved her goal of dominating the Southeast Asian Games jiu-jitsu tournament's women's -45kg event on Monday, December 9, at the Laus Convention Center.

Dropping to her usual -45kg category, Ochoa, who became a world champion in 2018, overpowered Vietnam's Dao Le Thu Thang, 13-0, for the gold.

Before Ochoa's statement win, Carlo Peña opened the floodgates with a 17-2 romp of Indonesia's Richard Rengga in the men's 56kg final to bag the country's first jiu-jitsu gold of the day.

Dean Michael Roxas, meanwhile, triumphed over Singapore's Benjamin Chia via submission in the last 35 seconds in the men's -85kg bout.

Jenna Kaila Napolis, who Ochoa faced in the repechage of the 2018 Asian Games for the bronze, still competed in the -49kg event, but nabbed a silver after falling to Cambodia’s Jess Khan.

Khan was the same opponent who relegated Napolis to the repechage in the Asiad.

Marc Alexander Lim also settled for a silver in the men's -69kg event against Thailand's Lertthaisong Banpot, while Gian Dee bagged a bronze in the men's -62kg event. – Rappler.com