By REYNALD MAGALLON
SANYA, China — In an alternate universe, Kaila Napolis could have been tossing pans and calling orders in a busy hot kitchen. The same steady hands that now fight for grips and positioning on the jiu-jitsu mat could have been delicately plating meals.
But fate — or perhaps something deeper — pulled her away from the heat of the stove and into the intensity of the mat.
And that turning point came in 2016 in Da Nang, Vietnam, where she won her first bronze medal in the Asian Beach Games.
“Actually iyon yung first competition ko, iyon ‘yung nag-motivate na ituloy ko ‘yung career ko sa jiu-jitsu,” said Napolis, who now finds herself in a full-circle moment after once again bagging a bronze in this year’s edition in Sanya.
“I wanted to stop na before the Beach Games, but when I won, I saw the potential in jiu-jitsu,” she added.
Napolis said she was at a crossroads during that tournament, weighing whether to pursue a career as a chef or fully commit to being a national athlete — two paths that demand full-time dedication.
“Nung last Asian Beach Games kasi di ko alam kung anong gagawin ko sa life ko kasi yung course ko is culinary, so with the kitchen parang kailangan nandun ka the whole day,” said Napolis.
“After non, I chose to be an athlete. Di na ako nag-pursue ng culinary, medyo naging hobby ko na siya,” she added.
The rest, as they say, is history.
From there, Napolis went on to win multiple medals for the Philippines — including a gold in the World Combat Games in Riyadh in 2023, a silver in the World Games in Chengdu in 2025, and a bronze in the Asian Games in Hangzhou in 2025.
She also owns a silver from the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in 2017 in Ashgabat, along with a gold, a silver, and a bronze across the last three editions of the Southeast Asian Games.
Cooking, of course, remains a part of her life — no longer as a profession, but as a way to unwind from the demands of being an elite athlete.
“Hobby na lang siya. Pag may occasion lang ako, nagti-try magluto. Ngayon, tinatry ko na ulit siya ibalik,” said Napolis.
And her specialty? Beef Wellington and Conti’s-inspired salmon with spinach.
Although seemingly worlds apart, Napolis believes cooking and jiu-jitsu share a common thread.
“(Similar) siguro yung patience,” said the 29-year-old Filipina. “Kasi, diba, pag hot kitchen, parang sisigaw-sigawan ka nung chef pag hindi ka maayos or hindi focus yung mind mo. So, siguro yun yung similarity sa kitchen and sa jiu-jitsu.”
She would know — whether it’s crafting a perfect dish or executing a flawless fight, Napolis has proven that excellence is forged from the same fire.
