GIVEN the hometown edge, the 21-member Pilipinas team is now “85 percent ready” as it aims to excel in the 11th Asia-Oceania Sambo Championships presented by the Philippine Sports Commission, scheduled from June 23 to 28 at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
“All 21 members of the Pilipinas sambo team are now 85 percent ready with the tournament less than a month away. They all aim to excel and do the country proud,” said Pilipinas sambo national coach Arce Larida on Tuesday during the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the PSC Media Center in Malate.
Joining him in the program was Pilipinas Sambo Federation president Paolo Tancontian, who revealed that more than 600 grapplers from 20 to 35 countries across Asia and Oceania are expected to compete in the grand sambo showcase.
“We were expecting only about 500 athletes, but even now we are more than 400 already and more are still registering. We could wind up with over 500 entries from 31 countries if this trend continues,” said Tancontian.
He added that drawing such a large field aligns with PSC chairman Patrick “Pato” Gregorio’s advocacy for promoting sports tourism.
Larida noted that among the top prospects in the meet sanctioned by the International Sambo Federation (FIAS) is Aislinn Yap, the world No. 1, who won gold in the women’s -80kg combat sambo division in last year’s edition held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Yap also bagged a bronze medal in the World Games in Chengdu, China last August.
“We also have Joemarie Torres in the women’s 50kg division and is now ranked No. 7 in the world,” added Larida in the session supported by San Miguel Corporation, PSC, Philippine Olympic Committee, and Milo.
Among the medal hopefuls on the men’s side, according to Larida, are Jason Palmes and Jarred Pamor in the 58kg sport sambo class; Godwin Langbayan in the 66kg combat sambo; Vincent Navares in the -71kg sport sambo; and Angelo Salla in the -71kg combat sambo.
Tancontian also disclosed that it is still being decided whether his daughter, Sydney Sy Tancontian, a gold medalist in the women’s +80kg division in the 10th Asia-Oceania Sambo Championships in 2025, will compete.
“Sydney had to look after me when I became sick and also had to take over some of my responsibilities in organizing the tournament,” said the Sambo chief, who had just recently recovered from illness.
“We cannot make a mistake in our hosting because—who knows—in two to three years’ time, we might have the opportunity to host the world championships,” Tancontian stressed.
“Anyway, whether my daughter competes or not, may mga ‘secret weapon’ pa rin tayo diyan, sambo athletes who can win for the country,” he said with a meaningful smile.
