MANILA — Host Philippines delivered its best-ever performance in the Asia-Oceania Sambo Championships, surpassing its previous gold-medal output after capturing three titles to finish fifth overall among 22 countries in the 11th Asia-Oceania Sambo Championships on Sunday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
The Filipinos closed their campaign in style as Aislinn Agnes Yap successfully defended her women’s -80kg combat sambo crown, edging Kazakhstan’s Zamzagul Faizollanova, 1-0, to secure the country’s third gold medal before an enthusiastic home crowd.
Yap’s victory completed a memorable championship for Team Philippines following the title-winning performances of Jomary Torres and Aumagel Princess Cortez on Saturday.
World No. 7 Torres produced one of the tournament’s quickest and most spectacular finishes, knocking out Kazakhstan’s Zhadyra Paiyz with a perfectly timed right roundhouse kick to the head just seconds into the women’s 50kg combat sambo final.
“Ang sabi namin ni coach Jerry (Legaspi) na dadaanin namin sa suntok pero sabi ko sa sarili ko na maliit yung kalaban ko kaya sinubukan ko. At tumama naman,” said Torres.
“Malaki ang paghihirap ko na manalo ito kaya masarap ang feeling ko na makuha ang gold,” added the 30-year-old former mixed martial arts fighter.
Cortez added another championship after overpowering Kazakhstan’s Mervet Berdhinakova, 9-2, in the women’s 59kg combat sambo division.
The twin victories by Torres and Cortez helped make up for the setback suffered by defending women’s +80kg combat sambo champion Sydney Sy, who yielded a 6-0 decision to former world champion Arailym Abenova of Kazakhstan.
“I really, really wanted to win but it was not my day,” said Sy. “But I am proud of how national team performed because we won three golds and saw how our sport practically grew from nothing,” Sy said.
The Philippines also collected a silver medal through national team newcomer Jasmaine Henryk Ching, who lost by submission to Kazakhstan’s Gulo Almukhanbetova in the women’s -54kg sport sambo final.
The host nation ended the tournament with three gold, three silver and eight bronze medals, eclipsing its previous output of two gold medals in the last edition of the championships and securing fifth place overall.
Philippine Sambo Association president Paolo Tancontian praised both the successful staging of the continental meet and the national team’s record-breaking campaign.
“We proved once again we are among Asia – and the world’s – best. I am very happy with the outcome. Now that we’ve hosted the Asia-Oceania Championships, our next goal is the worlds,” he said./PN
