A promising new face in Philippine sambo announced her arrival on the international stage as Sophia Nicole Novino fought her way to a silver medal finish at the opening of the 11th Asia-Oceania Sambo Championships at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila.
The 17-year-old grappler reached the Youth Women’s -47-kilogram division final, putting together an impressive run before eventually falling to Kazakhstan’s Karakat Rakhybay in the championship bout via submission.
Despite missing out on the gold medal, Novino viewed the result as a major step forward in her young career, describing the silver as something far more valuable than its color suggests.
“It felt like I achieved a lot since I didn’t expect a lot here,” Novino said.
Before reaching the finals, Novino displayed composure beyond her years by overcoming opponents from Vietnam and Kyrgyzstan, securing victories that pushed her into the title match of one of Asia-Oceania’s biggest sambo competitions.
The young Filipina’s performance also highlighted the growth of the country’s emerging sambo program, with the tournament serving as a major test for local athletes against some of the strongest competitors in the region.
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PANOORIN: Bigong masungkit ni Sophia Nicole Novino ang gold medal matapos siyang mag-tap out dahil sa arm bar sa kanyang laban kontra kay Rakhybay Karakat ng Kazakhstan sa sport sambo youth female -47kg sa 2026 Asia & Oceania Sambo Championships.
Nakakuha ang Pilipinas ng… pic.twitter.com/WHFYcaPjiH
— Abante Radyo DWAR 1494 (@DWAR1494) June 25, 2026
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