Palanca strikes jiu-jitsu gold in Tokyo tilt

MANILA, Philippines -- Filipino jiu-jitsu fighter Dani Palanca brought home a gold medal in the 2024 AJP Tokyo Grand Slam competition in Japan.

Palanca, a fighter for Atos International, outlasted the United Arab Emirates' Aysha Abdulla Zuwaid Alshamsi in the purple belt category of the -49 kilogram competition.

The 25-year-old won by points against her 19-year-old opponent as she secured the gold medal for the Philippines.

Palanca won over Australia's Anna Wang in the quarterfinals and Mongolia's Buyanjargal Nasanjargal in the semifinals.

She won both bouts by points.

Thailand's Nutchaya Sugun won the bronze medal in the category.

Aside from Palanca, Alphonso Raphael Morales of Alliance won the silver medal in the men's gi brown belt category in the -56 kilogram division.

He fell against Japan's Ryoma Shibusawa in the competition.

David Mendoza of Lucas Lepri Philippines finished fourth in the purple belt category of the -120 kilogram division, while Raymond Varilla of Project Lifestyle Manila finished seventh in men's gi black belt middleweight division.