Hundreds of athletes are expected to compete in the 11th Asia-Oceania Sambo Championships, which will be held on June 23 at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium under the sponsorship of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).
Pilipinas Sambo Federation Inc. president Paolo Tancontian said around 400 athletes have already confirmed their participation in the regional tournament, although organizers expect the number to increase further in the coming weeks.
”We could end up with over 600 grapplers from 31 countries,” Tancontian said.
The five-day competition, sanctioned by the International Sambo Federation (FIAS), is expected to attract participants from across Asia and Oceania, including traditional sambo powerhouses and emerging programs in the region.
Cambodia, which has built a strong sambo program in recent years, is set to send a 42-member delegation to the tournament.
”These numbers may seem small for team sports, but for sambo that is a lot of entries,” Tancontian explained.
He added that countries such as Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Iran, Syria, Australia, and New Zealand have also expressed interest in joining the championships.
However, Tancontian noted that ongoing tensions in the Middle East could prevent some member nations of the Sambo Union of Asia and Oceania from participating in the event.
”If we get 31 nations, I would be very happy,” he said.
Philippine Sports Commission chairman Patrick Gregorio welcomed the tournament as another opportunity to promote sports tourism and international sporting events in the country.
”Hosting a well-organized international competition like the forthcoming 11th Asia-Oceania Sambo Championships is always a welcome enterprise that generates income for both the government and the tourism industry,” Gregorio said.
”Sports events like these are win-win situations for all: the foreign visitors, fans, and the various stakeholders involved in staging them,” he added.