MANILA – World No. 1 Aislinn Agnes Yap delivered the Philippines’ third and final gold medal on Sunday, June 28, 2026, as the country capped its successful hosting of the 11th Asia-Oceania Sambo Championships.
In front of the animated hometown crowd at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Malate, Yap took down Zamzagul Faizollanova of Kazakhstan midway into the match for a 1-0 decision to retain her women’s -80kilogram combat
sambo crown.
Yap’s pin-down of the five-time Kazakhstan national champion was placed under protest, but a review by technical officials upheld the Filipina’s victory.
It was the third gold for the country after Jomary Torres and Princess Aumagel Cortez topped their respective events Saturday in the meet presented by the Philippine Sports Commission and held under the auspices of the National Sports Tourism Interagency Committee, both led by PSC chairperson Patrick Gregorio.
Ranked No. 7 in the world, Torres needed only seconds to secure the women’s 50kg combat sambo title, landing a picture-perfect right roundhouse kick to the head of Kazakhstan’s Zhadyra Paiyz.
With Paiyz down on her knees, the referee stopped the fight and awarded Torres an 8-0 victory.
Inspired by her national teammate’s sterling outing, Cortez struck hard and early in an emphatic 9-2 triumph over another Kazakhstani, Mervet Berdhinakova, in the women’s 59kg combat
sambo class.
Their triumphs softened somewhat the 0-6 loss in the women’s +80kg combat sambo of 2025 champion and world No. 1 Sydney Sy on Saturday to familiar rival and former world champion Arailym Abenova of Kazakhstan.
The fourth silver of the country came Sunday from national team newcomer Jasmaine Henryk Ching, who lost by submission to Kazakhstan’s Gulo Almukhanbetova in the women’s -54kg sport sambo.
Sophia Nicole Novino (47kg youth) and Christi Angelic Espolong (59kg juniors combat) were the other two
silver medalists.
It was a productive finish for the Philippines, which also took eight bronze medals, to wind up fifth overall among 22 countries in the meet organized by the Pilipinas Sambo Federation, Inc. (PSFI).
The eight bronze medals came from youth division’s Princess Love Boyore (54kg), Maria Tessa Polistico (59kg) and Jennelyn Tunacao (72kg); juniors combat bets Johann Matthew San Miguel (58kg), Daniel Justin Vitudazo (88kg) and Julian Henry Flores (98kg); adult sport’s Jeniva Consigna (59kg); and adult combat’s Godwin
Langbayan (64kg).
Last year, the two medals, both golds, came from Yap and Sy.
“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 (Coach Jerry Legaspi told me to punch, but my opponent was shorter, so I tried. And I made the hit),” Torres, a native of Dipolog, Zamboanga del Norte, said.
“Malaki ang paghihirap ko na manalo nito, kaya masarap ang feeling ko na makuha ang (I worked hard to win, so it really feels good to get the) gold,” the former mixed martial arts fighter said.
National team head coach Ace Larida said Torres, also the oldest among national team members at 30, has come full circle and deserves the gold.
”She is the complete package and deserves that victory,” Larida said.
For Sy, her performance felt bittersweet. She decided to join at the last minute because she wasn’t able to train well while taking care of his sick father, PSFI chief
Paolo Tancontian.
“I really, really wanted to win, but it was not my day,” a tearful Sy said while being consoled by brother Chino. “But I am proud of how the national team performed because we won three golds and saw how our sport practically grew from nothing.”
The elder Tancontian, who has since recovered, was delighted by the meet’s organization and the results of the Filipino campaigners.
“We proved once again we are among Asia and the world’s best. I am very happy with the outcome,” he said.
He is yearning for more.
“Now that we’ve hosted the Asia-Oceania Championships, our next goal is the worlds,” he boldly declared. / PNA
