Camille Naredo

Kazakhstan's Karakat Rakhybay raises her hands in victory after beating Filipina grappler Sophia Nicole Novino in the final of the women's youth -47-kilogram division of the 11th Asia-Oceania Championships at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, June 24, 2026. Handout/PSC

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11th Asia-Oceania Championships

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1782461074321viber_image_2026-06-26_15-12-39-656.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Kazakhstan&#x27;s Karakat Rakhybay raises her hands in victory after beating Filipina grappler Sophia Nicole Novino in the final of the women&#x27;s youth -47-kilogram division of the 11th Asia-Oceania Championships at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, June 24, 2026. Handout/PSC"/>Kazakhstan&#x27;s Karakat Rakhybay raises her hands in victory after beating Filipina grappler Sophia Nicole Novino in the final of the women&#x27;s youth -47-kilogram division of the 11th Asia-Oceania Championships at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, June 24, 2026. Handout/PSC</div>MANILA -- Filipina rookie Sophia Nicole Novino held her own for nearly four minutes before succumbing to Kazakhstan&#x27;s Karakat Rakhybay in the final of the women&#x27;s youth -47-kilogram division, Wednesday night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.Novino, who is competing in her first major international meet, delivered the Philippines&#x27; first silver medal in the 11th Asia-Oceania Sambo Championships. She battled Rakhybay to a 1-1 deadlock early on before bowing to her more experienced rival.A back-to-back silver medalist in the world youth meet, Rakhybay pinned Novino with 24 seconds left in the four-minute affair, forcing the Pinay grappler to tap out.&quot;Hindi lang po ito malaking news sa akin pero malaking learning po,&quot; said Novino. &quot;At least nakakuha rin ako ng isang point sa isang magaling na kalaban. First step pa lang ito at hindi ako susuko.&quot;&quot;This is her first  major sambo international tournament but Sophia did very well. Maganda ang ipinakita niya against a very strong opponent. She put on a good show  so I am proud of her,&quot; noted national sambo team coach Jerry Legaspi.&quot;She is relatively new to the sport so naninibago pa coming from a judo background, but she will learn from this experience and definitely will do better next time,&quot; Legaspi added.Prior to Novino&#x27;s silver, the Philippines had secured three bronze medals in the opening day of the competition. Three more bronzes were added to the Philippine medal collection yesterday from Johan  Matthew San Miguel, Daniel Justin Virtudazo and Julian Henry Flores in junior men&#x27;s combat sambo in the -58kg, -88kg and -98kg classes, respectively.

Filipina rookie Sophia Nicole Novino held her own for nearly four minutes before succumbing to Kazakhstan's Karakat Rakhybay in the final of the women's youth -47-kilogram division, Wednesday night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Filipina rookie Sophia Nicole Novino held her own for nearly four minutes before succumbing to Kazakhstan's Karakat Rakhybay in the final of the women's youth -47-kilogram division, Wednesday night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Pinoy rookie takes silver in Asia-Oceania sambo tourney

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Pinoy rookie takes silver in Asia-Oceania sambo tourney

ABS-CBN News

Published June 26, 2026 04:09 PM PHT

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Asia-Oceania Sambo Championships

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