Asian Games jiu-jitsu champion Annie Ramirez will skip local competitions to focus on her preparation for the World Games in Chengdu, China in August.

Ramirez said she opted to skip the local events so she could channel all of her energy to the 7 to 17 August sportsfest.

The 34-year-old Ramirez joins Southeast Asian (SEA) Games gold medalist Kaila Napolis in the China campaign.

“We have a local competition here hosted by the Philippines. It’s a regional event but I will focus on the World Games rather than participate,” Ramirez said, noting that she remains supportive of the national team taking part in the tournament.

Ramirez is coming off a fruitful campaign at the 9th Asian Jiu-Jitsu Championships from 23 to 27 May in Amman, Jordan where she won a gold medal in the women’s -57-kilogram division after beating Galina Duvonova of Kazakhstan in the final.

She is expected to be the country’s best bet for the World Games as she was the only gold medalist in the Asian Championships quest that also produced seven other medals.

Ramirez hopes to take down Galina Duvanova of Kazakhstan on her way to the gold at the World Games.

Duonova defeated Ramirez in the 2022 World Games in Birmingham, United States on her way to a silver medal finish in the women’s Ne-waza 57kg category. Ivan Suing