Former UST Lady Judoka Sydney Sy has solidified her place among the top competitors in the women’s heavyweight (+80 kg) category of the International Sambo Federation (FIAS) world rankings.
In the latest edition of the rankings, Sy rose to No. 3, amassing 720 points.
The rise in the rankings, Sy said, will boost her confidence for the upcoming World Sambo Cup in Armenia, scheduled for June 7 to 8, where she will try to reclaim the No. 1 spot.
“I am very happy for this big milestone and magandang push po ito sa akin for the upcoming world championship,” she told the Varsitarian. “Ang pinaka-goal ko po talaga is to be a world champion, given ‘yong sport namin is a non-Olympic sport.”
The former Lady Judoka previously topped the world rankings after capturing gold in the women’s heavyweight category in the Asia and Oceania Sambo Championships held April 14-18.
There, she defeated world No. 6 Buyanzaya Ser-Ochir of Mongolia in the finals and world No. 5 Arailym Abenova of Kazakhstan in the semifinals.
Sy dropped to third after Belarus’s Maryia Kandratsyeva reclaimed the top spot with a gold medal performance in the European Sambo Championships on April 27.
“To be honest, ‘di ko rin po in-expect [‘to] kasi sa ngayon, marami na rin akong role sa federation and as an athlete’s commission chairman,” she said. “Kaya very blessed po ako no’ng napanalo ko po ‘yong Asian and Oceania Championship.”
FIAS determines rankings using an athlete’s four best results over two calendar years.
Sy is a former UAAP Rookie of the Year and a women’s heavyweight gold medalist in Seasons 82 and 85.
