Decorated multi-sports athlete Chino Sy Tancontian capped off a successful year with a gold medal performance for the Philippines in the 2023 SEA Sambo Championships held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on December 16, 2023 – a fitting birthday gift as he celebrated his 23rd birthday on Monday, December 18.
He dominated his Vietnamese opponent, 8-0, in their championship match to secure the men's sport sambo 98-kilogram division gold.
Before this, he defeated his Malaysian rival in a similar fashion, 9-0.
"I had confidence to win the gold kasi po nakita ko kasi sila, yung mga kalaro ko dito at kalaro ko sa worlds. Di hamak na mas mabibigat at malalakas yung nakatapat ko sa worlds (I was confident in winning the gold because I observed my opponents here and those I faced at the worlds. Undoubtedly, the ones I played against at the worlds were heavier and stronger)," the University of Santo Tomas (UST) fitness sports management senior student said in a Facebook interview with SunStar Davao.
His confidence was well-founded, considering his impressive showing at the World Sambo Championships 2023 in Yerevan, Armenia, where he upset the current -98kg Sport Sambo African continental champion from Egypt in the round of 16 last month.
Initially nervous, Tancontian found himself among competitors with judo backgrounds, similar to his own. However, he effectively employed his wrestling expertise during matches in the Malaysia tournament, in addition to utilizing his judo skills.
Head coach Ace Larida, in a separate interview, said: "Chino shows more technical skills and power than his opponents, a total domination."
He also secured the senior men's -100kg judo gold in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (Uaap) Season 86. This marked his second Uaap seniors judo gold as a UST varsity scholar, having previously earned a Uaap juniors judo gold.
He was also a gold medalist in the 2023 Korea Open Sambo Championships in Cheonan, South Korea on September 17.
When asked about his birthday wish, he quickly replied: "For next year na makapag-place na ako sa world, ina-eye ko po talaga (For next year, I hope to secure a place in the world. It's something I'm really aiming for)."
Tancontian, the youngest child of Paolo, the president of Pilipinas Sambo Federation Inc. (PSFI), and Janet, comes from a family with a strong martial arts background.
His elder sister, Sydney, has an impressive track record with several world sambo bronze medals to her name. She also clinched a kurash silver medal in the 31st SEA Games held in Hanoi, Vietnam, and a kurash bronze in the 30th Philippines SEA Games, and has earned several Uaap judo golds for UST.
The seven-member Philippines sambo team collected five golds, one silver, and three bronzes in Malaysia. MLSA