Ilonggo jiu-jitsu athletes win five medals in Tokyo
Corin Panaguiton, a gold and silver world medalist, is ranked No. 1 in the SJJIF Female White Kid 4 division for 2026.
ILOILO CITY — Three young athletes representing Iloilo and the Philippines brought home five medals from the SJJIF World Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2026 in Tokyo, Japan, while also holding top-two positions in their respective world rankings.
Corin Panaguiton won gold in the Female Gi White Kid 4 Rooster Division and silver in the Female No-Gi Grey Kid 4 Rooster Division.
Nathan Hunter Golez captured gold in the Male Gi White Kid 4 Rooster Division and bronze in the Male No-Gi Grey Kid 4 Rooster Division.
Caleb Panaguiton earned silver in the Male Juvenile Blue Light Feather Division.
Their coach, Franz Jericho Altura of Choking Grounds Jiu Jitsu of Deftac Sixblades, sought recognition for the three athletes after their international campaign on September 5-6.
The athletes competed under Choking Grounds Jiu Jitsu of Deftac Sixblades.
Altura said he had personally seen the work the three athletes invested before reaching the world stage.
“As their coach, I have had the privilege of witnessing their dedication, discipline, sacrifices, and unwavering commitment to their sport,” he said.
“Competing at an international level, they proudly carried the name of Iloilo and brought home medals,” Altura added.
Beyond their podium finishes, all three athletes are among the highest-ranked competitors in their respective SJJIF divisions in 2026.
“They are also currently ranked 1st, 1st, and 2nd, respectively, on their division in the SJJIF World Rankings for 2026,” Altura said.
Corin is No. 1 in the SJJIF World Rank 2026 Female White Kid 4 division with 453 points, five gold medals, one silver, and no bronze medals.
Corin is also listed No. 1 in the SJJIF World Rank No-Gi 2026 Female White Kid 4 division with 231 points, four gold medals, and one silver.
Nathan’s is No. 1 in the SJJIF World Rank 2026 Male White Kid 4 division with 584 points, seven gold medals, and one silver.
Nathan is also No. 1 in the SJJIF World Rank No-Gi 2026 Male White Kid 4 division with 287 points, four gold medals, and two silver medals.
Caleb ranked No. 2 in the SJJIF World Rank No-Gi 2026 Male Blue Juvenile 16–17 division with 330 points, four gold medals, two silver medals, and no bronze medals.
A second ranking panel lists Caleb No. 2 in the SJJIF World Rank 2026 Male Blue Juvenile 16–17 division with 181 points.
For Altura, the results go beyond medals and rankings because the three athletes offer an example to other young people in Iloilo who are pursuing competitive sports.
“Their achievements are a source of great pride for Iloilo,” Altura said.
“Beyond the medals, their journey represents the values that we hope to inspire in our young people: hard work, perseverance, discipline, sportsmanship, and the courage to compete among the best athletes in the world,” he added.
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