Sydney: Sydney Sy Tancontian will defend her heavyweight title in the 11th Asia-Oceania Sambo Championships starting on Friday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Malate, Manila. The 27-year-old pride of Davao City, daughter of Pilipinas Sambo Federation (PSF) president Paolo Tancontian, is the world No. 1 in the +80kg category.
According to Philippines News Agency, Sy expressed relief and gratitude as her father's health has improved, allowing him to address tournament details, enabling her to focus on her performance. Sy previously won the gold medal against Mongolian Buyanzaya Ser-Ochir last year in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Team member Aislynn Yap also claimed victory in the women's -80kg combat class.
Over 500 athletes from 31 countries are expected to participate in the four-day tournament, presented by the Philippine Sports Commission and the National Sports Tourism Inter-Agency Committee. The elder Tancontian emphasized that Sydney's presence is a significant morale booster for the national team and country.
Tickets for the event are priced at PHP100, available at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium ticket booths. The PSF chief stated that the affordable pricing is intended to encourage sports fans to support local grapplers while witnessing top talents from Asia and Oceania. For those unable to attend in person, live coverage will be available on sambo.live and Facebook Live via the official PSC and PSF pages.
