THE Philippines collected several medals in two separate international sambo competitions over the weekend, with Filipino athletes winning podium finishes in South Korea and Serbia.
At the Korea Open Sambo Championship in Cheonan, Marwin Quirante captured gold in the men’s -58kg combat sambo division, while Cresente Navares and Orlando Castillo Jr. added silver and bronze in the men’s -64kg sport sambo and -71kg combat sambo categories, respectively.
The team, coached by Jerry Legaspi, also fielded Nicolo Saria, who made his international debut and was lauded for showing promise despite not reaching the podium.
In Novi Sad, Serbia, Filipino fighters secured further honors at the 2025 European Open Student Sambo Cup. Olympic Solidarity scholar Chino Sy Tancontian delivered a silver medal in the men’s -98kg sport sambo, falling in the final to Russia’s Maxim Merzliakov after beating Serbia’s Spaic Srdan in the semifinals.
Janry Pamor also bagged a silver in the men’s -64kg class, while Jeniva Consigna claimed bronze in the women’s -65kg division.
“Both Chino and Janry fought hard in the finals, ultimately taking home silver after tough matches decided by leg locks against their Russian competitors,” said Pilipinas Sambo Federation president Paolo Tancontian.
The Philippine Sports Commission and Senator Bong Go, chair of the Senate Committee on Sports, backed the delegations.
