Yap: a beast in Asian/Oceania sambo

MANILA, Philippines — Off the mat, Filipina sambo fighter Aislinn Agnes Yap is a tall but soft, gentle human being.

On it, she’s as fierce as a beast wanting to devour every prey in front of her.

It was in full display yesterday as Yap dominated Kazakhstan’s Zamzagul Faizallanova in the women’s adult combat -80-kilogram finale to deliver the country’s third gold medal at the close of the Asia and Oceania Sambo Championships at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

The match before, the 27-year-old Yap destroyed a listess Indian Priyanka Priyanka in 60 seconds to make the gold-medal showdown against Faizallanova, who hurdled Vietnamese Hoang Linh and Kyrgyzstan’s Meerimai Nuradilovam.

Yap was just unshakeable.

It was the second gold for Yap after debuting in combat sambo victorious in Tashkent, Uzbekistan last year.

Jasmaine Ching was overwhelmed by Kazakhstan’s Guldana Almukhanbetova and consoled herself with a silver in the women’s adult combat sambo -54kg class in this event presented by the Philippine Sports Commission.

Their efforts capped the host country’s splendid showing with a haul of three golds, four silvers and six bronzes.

Two of the Filipinos’ mints came from Jomary Torres and Aumaegel Princess Cortez.