Rising grappler Sophia Nicole Novino fell short of winning the gold medal following a 1-3 loss to Karakat Rakhbay of Kazakhstan in the youth women’s -47-kilogram division of the 11th Asia-Oceania Sambo Championships yesterday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

In just her first year in the Russian martial art, Novino displayed impressive form before bowing to the Kazakh powerhouse to underscore the country’s strong performance in the opening day of this prestigious continental tournament presented by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).

Prior to losing to Rakhbay, Novino took out her Vietnamese and Kyrgyzstan foes in impressive fashion, respectively, to enter the finals of her weight class in the meet organized by the Philippine Sambo Federation Inc.

Meanwhile, Jennelyn Tuñacao, Maria Tess Polistico and Princess Love Boyore had a bronze medal apiece in the -72kg, -59kg and 54kg weight class each to usher in hostilities in the continental showcase held under the aegis of the National Sports Tourism Interagency Committee led by PSC chairman Patrick “Pato” Gregorio.

“I am so happy because my only goal was just to play my best,” Novino, 17, a Grade 11 University of the East student, said after reaching the final.

“I didn’t really expect to make it to the finals, so I am going to give it my all to finish what I started on a high note.”

Novino disclosed that she was drawn to the combat sport because “the opportunity given to me was great. It isn’t that far off from judo, which is why I continued with sambo.”

Underlining her potential in the sport, Novino disclosed that she won a gold in the -55kg category fighting a boy from Singapore in a competition held in the city state last May.

“I told myself it’s fine as long as I have an opponent so that my trip to Singapore wouldn’t go to waste,” she recalled, smiling.

Tuñacao, who is Novino’s UE teammate, was also glad of getting a bronze in her first major international tournament although she believed she could have done better.

“I feel like I still have more to give against my opponent,” said the stocky campaigner, who was forced to tap out against a Kazakhstani foe.

National sambo coach Ace Larida is glad with their strong start, saying that winning in the tournament isn’t easy.

“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,” he said.

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