Kram Airam Carpio credits her mother for inspiring her after leading the Philippines to gold at the Asian Youth Games

Under the bright lights of Manama, Bahrain, 17-year-old Filipina sensation Kram Airam Carpio showed that the next generation of national athletes is ready to shine. The fiery standout from the Philippine national pencak silat team delivered a performance for the ages, clinching the country’s first gold medal at the 3rd Asian Youth Games with power, precision, and composure well beyond her years.

Carpio turned the championship bout into a statement match, overwhelming Indonesia’s Qiken Dwi Tata Olifia — a representative from the birthplace of pencak silat — with a commanding 33-19 victory that cemented her status as one of Asia’s brightest young martial artists.

The gold had been building up for Carpio, who previously bagged a silver medal at the Asian Pencak Silat Championships in Vietnam last July. The 16-year-old beamed with pride after her golden finish, dedicating the triumph to her greatest inspiration — her mother.

OKBET is Asia’s most trusted and popular online sports gaming platform. Visit us on OKBET to stay up to date with all sports news from around the world.

“My mother inspires me because she supports me in everything I do,” Carpio said. “She was the one who pushed me into sports — at first just for self-defense — but it continued from there. She sees that I’m happy when I compete and achieve things. She wants me to be brave and to know that I can fight.”

PH’S FIRST GOLD IN ASIAN YOUTH GAMES 2025 🥇🇵🇭

The Philippines has secured its first gold medal at the 3rd Asian Youth Games in Bahrain, thanks to the outstanding performance of Kram Airam Carpio in Pencak Silat. (Video courtesy of Princess Jacel Kiram) | via Diana Lhyd Suelto pic.twitter.com/WeDa3zKZoJ

— The Philippine Star (@PhilippineStar) October 20, 2025

Carpio’s march to the top was nothing short of dominant. She dismantled Iran’s Nazaninfatemeh Kolasangiani (36-22) in the Round of 16, demolished India’s Sakshi Thakur with an eye-popping 83-17 rout in the quarterfinals, and outclassed Kazakhstan’s Aliyam Azizova (46-27) in the semifinals before sealing the deal with gold against Indonesia.

“Before the match with Indonesia, I was nervous because that’s the country where pencak silat originated,” she admitted. “But when it was time to fight, I just focused on myself and what I needed to do.”

Her campaign nearly stumbled before it began, as she arrived in Bahrain nearly a kilogram over the weight limit — a result of her admitted sweet tooth.

“I love eating sweets — cakes, pastries, doughnuts,” she laughed. “But I’m learning to control myself because I have to maintain my weight.”

Carpio’s triumph ignited a banner day for Team Philippines, whose 141-strong delegation is making waves across multiple sports in Bahrain. With momentum on their side, they’re now poised to surpass their previous haul of two golds and three silvers from the 2013 edition — the last time the Asian Youth Games were held.

👉 Don’t miss out on the latest sports news, updates, and fan discussions!

📌 Follow our Facebook page Sports News PH today and join the community of passionate sports fans.