Davao judoka Chino Sy wins bronze at Florida Panamerican Open

Davao City judoka Chino Sy won a bronze medal in the men's -100-kilogram division of the 2026 Florida Panamerican Open Judo Tour in Gainesville, Florida, according to SunStar Davao. The finish gives the 25-year-old valuable world ranking points as he pursues qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Sy opened with a Round of 16 win over Chile's Gustavo Zepeda, scoring two waza-ari, then beat American Alex Kulyk in the quarterfinals. His run was halted in the semifinals by Cuba's Ivan Felipe Silva Morales, a three-time Olympian who went on to win the gold.

Moving to the repechage, Sy faced American veteran Nathanial Keeve, gold medalist at the 2024 Montreal Panamerican Open, for bronze. Sy scored a waza-ari at the 2:38 mark and held the lead through the rest of the four-minute bout.

"This bronze feels like a gold medal to me because the journey to get here was really difficult," Sy told SunStar Davao. He said he had to defend his early lead against an experienced opponent.

The podium result follows a Round of 16 exit in his debut at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, last month. Panamerican Open events allow judokas to collect points in the Olympic qualification race.

Sy's mother, Janet Sy, and father, Paolo Tancontian, both congratulated him in social media posts. He was accompanied by his uncle and coach, Ace Larida, who also brought fellow Filipino judoka Jayvee Ferrer. Sy credited support from Philippine Olympic Committee President Bambol Tolentino for helping Filipino athletes compete abroad.

After a short break to rest and train, Sy is set to compete at the 2026 Montreal Panamerican Open in Canada on November 7 and 8.