The Philippines successfully staged the 2026 Asian and Oceania SAMBO Championships at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Malate, Manila, from June 25 to 28, delivering one of the biggest SAMBO events ever held in Southeast Asia and underscoring the country’s growing role in the development of the sport in the region.
The four-day continental championship gathered some of the best SAMBO practitioners from across Asia and Oceania, with athletes competing in both Sport SAMBO and Combat SAMBO divisions. Beyond the medal race, the tournament served as another milestone for Philippine SAMBO as the country continued to establish itself as a capable host of major international competitions while providing local athletes with valuable exposure against elite regional opposition.
Among the tournament’s standout figures was Filipino SAMBO star Sydney Sy, who took on the rare challenge of wearing two hats throughout the competition. Aside from representing the Philippines on the competition mats, Sy also played a key role behind the scenes as one of the event organizers, helping oversee the successful staging of the prestigious championship.
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Balancing administrative responsibilities with the physical and mental demands of competition proved to be one of the toughest challenges of her career, but one that she embraced wholeheartedly.
“Organizing the competition while preparing to compete on the mat at the same time is no easy task. But I love what I do, and I’m proud of what we managed to achieve through all the preparation and planning. We managed to pull off this major competition, and that makes me very happy,” Sy said in a media interaction.
While Sy’s efforts extended beyond the competition area, it was the Philippine women’s team that stole the spotlight in the Combat SAMBO division.
The Filipinas captured three gold medals to propel the country to a runner-up finish in the Combat SAMBO team standings, highlighting the steady progress of the national program. Aumaegel Princess Cortez, Jomary Torres, and Aislinn Agnes Yap each delivered gold medal performances, showcasing the depth of Filipino talent and reinforcing the country’s emergence as a rising force in the discipline.
Their victories reflected years of development within the local SAMBO community and demonstrated that the next generation of Filipino athletes is ready to compete—and win—on the continental stage.
SYDNEY SY: “MY PERSONAL MISSION IS STILL NOT ACCOMPLISHED – I WANT TO BECOME WORLD CHAMPION”
The 2026 Asia and Oceania SAMBO Championships, held June 25-28 in Manila, marked a special occasion for Filipino sambist Sydney Sy.
Full article you can read on https://t.co/Cqk3Wlwy0T pic.twitter.com/DtjYXcfout— SAMBO FIAS (@SAMBOFIAS) June 30, 2026
For Sy, watching her teammates succeed was just as rewarding as her own accomplishments.
Widely regarded as the “Queen of Asian SAMBO” in the Philippines because of her impressive achievements in both local and international competitions, Sy has become one of the sport’s most recognizable ambassadors in the country. Her continued success has helped introduce SAMBO to a broader audience while inspiring a new generation of Filipino athletes to take up the martial art.
“I’m proud that I was able to represent the Philippines on the Asian-Oceanian stage. If my example inspires even one child, that already means a lot to me. When kids see Filipino athletes winning at major events, more and more of our boys and girls want to try SAMBO for themselves,” she added.
Although Sy narrowly missed out on capturing the gold medal at the Asian and Oceania Championships, the tournament still marked another major milestone in her already decorated career.
Following the competition, Sy climbed to world No. 1 in the International Sambo Federation (FIAS) Women’s +80kg world rankings, becoming the highest-ranked athlete in her division and further cementing her status as one of the sport’s elite competitors.
The achievement is a testament to years of consistent performances on the international circuit, where Sy has steadily collected medals and ranking points against some of the world’s top SAMBO practitioners.
However, despite reaching the pinnacle of the world rankings, Sy insists that her journey is far from over.
Her ultimate ambition remains unchanged—to become the first Filipino athlete to win a world championship in SAMBO, a feat that would further elevate the country’s standing in the international martial arts community.
“My personal mission is still not accomplished – I want to become world champion. I’m still on that path, and I will get there. I will keep working hard to become the first Filipino world champion in SAMBO,” Sy concluded.
As Philippine SAMBO continues to gain momentum through successful international hosting duties and increasingly competitive performances on the continental stage, athletes like Sy remain at the forefront of the sport’s growth. With a new generation of champions emerging alongside an established world No. 1 leading the way, the future appears bright for SAMBO in the Philippines as it continues its pursuit of even greater success on the global stage.
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