Teenage Filipina sensation Sophia Nicole Novino stormed into the Youth women’s -47kg final at the 11th Asia-Oceania Sambo Championships, capping a remarkable rise in a sport she only took up a year ago.

Competing in front of a home crowd at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, the 17-year-old University of the East student defeated opponents from Vietnam and Kyrgyzstan in impressive fashion to move within one victory of continental gold. Her breakthrough run also provided an early boost for the Philippines, which enjoyed an encouraging start to the tournament with three bronze-medal finishes on the opening day.

Novino’s Rapid Rise Continues

Despite entering the tournament with modest expectations, Novino found herself one win away from continental glory after overcoming two international opponents to reach the final.

“I’m very happy because my goal was simply to perform at my best,” Novino said.

“I didn’t expect to reach the final, so I’ll do everything I can to finish what I’ve started on a positive note,” she added.

The achievement is particularly remarkable given her limited experience in sambo. A varsity judo athlete at the University of the East, Novino revealed she was drawn to the Russian martial art after being presented with an opportunity to compete.

“The opportunity presented to me was a good one. Sambo isn’t too different from judo, so I decided to continue with it,” she explained.

Her rapid progress has already produced impressive results. Earlier this year, Novino captured gold in the -55kg category at a tournament in Singapore, where she competed against a male opponent.

“I thought it was fine as long as I had someone to compete against and my trip to Singapore wouldn’t go to waste,” she recalled with a smile.

Philippines Enjoy Encouraging Start

While Novino stole the spotlight, the Philippines also celebrated three bronze-medal finishes on the opening day of competition.

Jennelyn Tuñacao claimed bronze in the -72kg division, while Maria Tess Polistico and Princess Love Boyore added podium finishes in the -59kg and -54kg categories, respectively.

Tuñacao, who is also Novino’s teammate at the University of the East, welcomed the result despite believing she could have gone further in the tournament.

“I felt like I still had more to give against my opponent,” said Tuñacao after being forced to tap out by a Kazakhstani opponent.

The early medal haul offered encouragement for the host nation in one of the toughest competitions on the international sambo calendar.

Coaches Optimistic About the Future

National sambo team coach Ace Larida believes the team’s performances provide a positive foundation for future success.

“This is a good beginning for us in this tournament because the Asia-Oceania Sambo Championships is a tough competition and next only to the worlds,” Larida said.

“We can only look forward to doing better once we start competing in the senior division.”

With Novino leading the charge and several athletes already reaching the podium, the Philippines has enjoyed a promising start to the continental showcase as it looks to make the most of home advantage in Manila.