Charlie Ratcliff in action in the gold medal match of the girls' 45kg class in modern MMA in the 3rd Asian Youth Games, October 25, 2025 at the Exhibition World Bahrain in Sakhir. POC Pool
Charlie Ratcliff needed just over a minute to claim the Philippines' second gold medal in the Asian Youth Games.
The 16-year-old Ratcliff finished off Nakanantaphon Khaihong with a neck crank in their gold medal bout in girls' mixed martial arts, with the referee stopping the bout after just 63 seconds.
The crowd had barely settled into their seats at the Exhibition World Bahrain in Sakhir when Ratcliff, who hails from Calatrava in Negros Occidental, was declared the winner of the girls' 45kg class in modern MMA.
This is the Philippines' second gold medal of the Asian Youth Games, after Kram Airam Carpio scored the breakthrough mint in pencak silat.
READ: Pencak Silat athlete delivers PH's first gold in Asian Youth Games
Charlie's brother Travis earlier wound up with the silver medal in the boys' traditional MMA 60kg class, with Iran's Hatamianafshari Amirmohammad taking the gold by unanimous decision.
"This gold medal was expected," said Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino, who is overseeing the Philippine participation in the AYG for the first time.
"There was no doubt—we would surpass the previous haul," Tolentino said, referring to the haul of two gold and three silver medals in Nanjing in 2012.
"And we still have a lot of potential winners. Meron pa tayong volleyball. Volleyball tahimik lang yan pero andyan lang yan. We still have boxing, weightlifting—marami pang pagkukunan, pati jiujitsu."
Charlie Ratcliff celebrates after winning the gold medal in the girls' 45kg class in modern MMA in the 3rd Asian Youth Games, October 25, 2025 at the Exhibition World Bahrain in Sakhir. POC Pool
Philippine delegation chef de mission Ramon "Tats" Suzara was pleased to see the medal haul gaining momentum, noting that this should ease the pressure on the rest of the team rather than add to it.
"I always tell our players—in volleyball and in other sports—to just have fun. Don't let the pressure get to you. Especially for our young athletes: when you play, play like you've got nothing to lose. Just enjoy the game. Ganun lang lagi."
In muay, Jan Brix Ramiscal (16–17) and Zeth Gabriel Bueno (14–15) reached the Wai Kru finals, securing at least bronze medals for the Philippines.
Ramiscal scored 9.17; Bueno, 9.03. Ramiscal also made the mixed team Mai Muay finals, guaranteeing a second medal.
Iyesha Blair Bituin is assured of bronze in girls' -51kg combat (16–17), facing Cambodia's Sreypenh Om in the semifinals.
Lyrie Anie Ngina (14–15) and Jasmine Dagame (16–17) also secured virtual bronze in Wai Kru, with gold still possible.
At Bahrain National Stadium, Pi Durden Wangkay qualified for the boys' 200m final with a 22.22-second run in the heats.
Naomi Cesar (2:19.74) and Mia Guillergan (2:20.09) advanced in the girls' 800m, placing second and fourth, respectively, in heats.