AYG: Ratcliff siblings follow in mom's footsteps, deliver medals for PH

Travis (left) and Charlie Ratcliff celebrate with mother Maria Aisa. POC POOL

Winning medals runs in the family for Charlie and Travis Ratcliff -- siblings who are making a name for themselves in mixed martial arts.

The Ratcliffs fueled the Philippines' medal drive in the Asian Youth Games, winning a gold and a silver on Saturday in Bahrain.

It was the payoff of their decade-long training under the guidance of their mother and coach, Maria Aisa.

"It feels wonderful. There are a lot of sacrifices to go up to the medal, the gold medal and the silver medal," said Charlie, who struck gold in the girls' 45kg modern MMA class. 

"The sacrifices of time management for school and for sports, [they're] now worth it." 

Before transitioning to MMA, 16-year-old Charlie and 17-year-old Travis started jiu-jitsu at an early age as they got influenced by their mother, who also won medals for the country as part of the national wrestling team. 

In 2023, Maria Aisa scored a pair of golds in the United World Wrestling Asian Grappling Championships, topping the senior gi and senior no gi divisions.

"Sobrang nakaka-proud kasi ‘yung hirap namin sa training tsaka lahat ng preparation, lahat ng sacrifices, ngayon nakakuha kami ng gold tsaka silver. Nakaka-proud," said Maria Aisa.

Charlie blitzed her way to the gold as she needed just a little over a minute to submit Thailand's Nakanantaphon Khaihong in the final with a rear naked choke. 

READ: Charlie Ratcliff secures PH's second gold with 63-second win in MMA

Charlie Ratcliff in action. POC POOL

Her victory came after Travis missed out on the gold in the boys' 60kg traditional MMA, absorbing a unanimous decision loss to Iran's Amirmohammad Hatamianafshari in a nip-and-tuck finale that went to overtime.

"It was a motivation for my brother and my mother. Her sacrifices and his sacrifices, that was the motivation for me," said Charlie. 

"Nakaka-proud po sa amin na nakuha namin ‘yung mga goals namin, kaming dalawa magkapatid, nakakuha ng medal for the country," said Travis. 

In all, the Philippines won three MMA medals in these Games, with Alexander Tagure Jr. copping bronze in the boys' 50kg modern MMA.