Davao based Sambo Pilipinas goes online training during quarantine

DAVAO CITY -- A newly recognized sports organization based here is continuing its training despite the ongoing community quarantine in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pilipinas Sambo, the national sports association (NSA) for Sambo, which was organized and developed here is doing online training to keep its members fit and ready once local, national and international tournaments starts after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Recently, the online tranining of Pilipinas Sambo for its athletes in Davao City, Baguio City and Manila were lead by 30th SEA Games SAMBO Gold Medalist Mark"Mugen" Striegl.
In a media interview before the COVID-19 pandemic, Sambo Pilipinas officials said they are exerting efforts to make the sport more popular in the country to be hopefully added as an official event in the Palarong Pambansa.
Lawyer Paolo Claudio, president of Pilipinas Sambo said they are set to talk to Department of Education (DEPED) officials to take the necessary steps to make the sport part of the nationwide sports meet as soon as possible.
Claudio explained  it is ideal to have Sambo included in the list of Palarong Pambansa events as it is a sport in which Filipinos can excel.
Streigl said   he wants to inspire kids to try the sport and become an international campaigner like him in the future.
The SEA Games gold medalist added that Filipinos tend to excel in martial arts, which is why more attention should be given to sambo and other martial arts.
Claudio said Pilipinas Sambo is doubling its efforts to promote the sport, especially in Davao, as this is the unofficial birthplace of the sport in the Philippines.
Paolo Tancontian, founder of Pilipinas Sambo, said the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has already recognized the sport and he is confident it will become part of the Olympics soon.
Tancontian also said sambo will make its debut here as part of the lined-up sports events set to take place March as the city celebrates Araw ng Davao.
He said the city will host an international sambo competition on March 28 at the Abreeza Mall here.
Having produced medals in the SEA Games, Tancontian said the task now for his group is to make sure they are able to bring in more medals for the country in future tournaments.