PH sambo team bags 2 golds at Dutch Open

Sydney Sy Tancontian stood at the top of the podium in the women’s +80kg sport-sambo event, delivering a series of commanding wins.

She opened her campaign with a decisive 5-0 victory over the United Kingdom’s Shannon Breen, followed by a narrow 2-1 win against Germany’s Aylin Mill in the semifinals.

In the finals, Tancontian left no room for doubt, dismantling the UK’s Francesca Aspey with a flawless 8-0 performance to claim the gold.

Following Tancontian’s golden feat, Ace Larida delivered another championship for the Philippines in the men’s masters -98kg sport-sambo category.

The seasoned athlete stormed past hometown favorite Arnaud Bergsma with an 8-0 triumph, then secured his title with a 4-1 victory over Switzerland’s Andrea Puma in the finals.

At just 18 years old, Mariah Lua proved she was a force to be reckoned with in the women’s 80kg sport-sambo division.

She powered through the competition, dominating the United Kingdom’s Kerrie Penfold with a stunning 8-0 victory to secure the silver medal. Although she fell short against Romania’s Kateryna Moskalova, Lua’s performance signalled the emergence of a new Filipino sambo contender.

Adding to the medal haul, Chino Sy Tancontian bagged a bronze in the men’s +98kg sport-sambo division, further solidifying his reputation as one of the country’s top athletes.

Chino bagged a gold medal in Japan last February to kick off the Philippine sambo season in spectacular fashion.

He captured the gold in the +98kg Men’s Division at the 51st All Japan Sambo Championships and Japan 2025 International Competition held at Sumida Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan, by sweeping all three of his opponents in his division. — Randy Caluag