Emil Said Montes de Oca Jimenez: "I'm Proud That the Whole Arena Was Chanting 'Mexico!'"

At the 2026 Pan American SAMBO Championships, held July 9-11 in Alajuela, Costa Rica, Mexico's Emil Said Montes de Oca Jimenez claimed gold in the men's -71kg Sport SAMBO category. For the athlete, the win was the fulfilment of a goal he'd set himself at the start of the year.

“Right now my heart is full of joy and huge satisfaction with the work I've put in. I set myself a goal at the start of the year, and together with my coaches, we achieved it. Now I'm incredibly pleased and just happy,” said the champion.

The final match proved to be a tough one – his opponent was experienced and highly decorated.

“It was definitely a hard-fought contest. The most difficult part was adjusting to the grips. My opponent in the final has a lot of experience competing at this level, he's already been Pan American champion several times. But I did my homework well and studied him very closely. So the main secret to winning was adjusting my approach to execute my game plan,” the athlete said.

A special moment came with the crowd's support, as the stands chanted the new champion's home country.

“It's a matter of pride for me – what's happening right now. I give everything for my country, and I'm happy to do it. It's a real joy,” admitted Montes de Oca.

The Mexican dedicated his victory to his family, coaches, and federation leadership.

“I want to dedicate this win to my family, to everyone who helps me train, and to the Mexican delegation led by David Garcia, who made this dream possible this year,” said the athlete.