LOS BAÑOS, LAGUNA — University of Santo Tomas completed a magical run en route to winning both the boys and girls titles in UAAP Season 82 Swimming Championships, Sunday at the Trace Aquatic Center.
The Junior Tigersharks closed the four-day meet on top with 461.59 points for their third title in four years. Meanwhile, the Junior Lady Tigersharks reclaimed the plum after missing on it the previous season with 419.
“Overjoyed ang mga bata. Hindi namin ma-contain ‘yung emotions,” UST coach Agot Alcantara shared after the double-title run.
Charles Arceo bagged another gold to close out his season with a 2:27.62 mark in the 200-meter breaststroke, leading the run for UST on the final day. He then joined John Niel Paderes, Jules Merandilla, and Merrell Neri finish their championship season with a record-breaking time in the 400-meter medley relay with 4:03.78.
La Salle Zobel’s Franco Dela Rosa took the golds in the 50-meter backstroke and 50-meter freestyle at 27.85 and 24.44, respectively, to pace last year’s champions to a runner-up finish at 370.50 points.
Ateneo’s Wacky Santos, on the other hand, bagged another Most Valuable Player award. He swept his seven events, the last of which was a 2:09.98 swim in 200-meter butterfly. The Blue Eaglets went to take the third-place honors with 197 points.
Camille Buico also kept her top player award, capped by a new UAAP record of 2:24.04 in the 200-meter butterfly, breaking a three-year-old record of 2:25.30 of Suzanne Himor of Ateneo. She also topped the 50-meter freestyle with 27.74.
Franz Joves kept the 50-meter backstroke title with University of the Philippines after finishing at 31.95. The Junior Lady Maroons go up a notch with 297 points into second place, after missing the spot last year by just five points.
Last year’s champion De La Salle-Zobel ended up at the podium in style with a new UAAP mark in the 400-meter medley relay with Raven Alcoseba, Ayena Calvario, Kayleen Keh, and Gene Quiambao at 4:40.42, also smashing a 2016 record. Bela Magtibay earlier in the day defended her 200-meter breaststroke gold at 2:48.02.
The Junior Lady Tankers produced 277 points this season.
UST’s Robin Seranillo and UP’s Aubrey Tom were hailed as the Rookies of the Year.
With this, Alcantara hopes that this is just the start of a UST dynasty in UAAP swimming.
“Hindi porket ikaw ‘yung nag-champion, magre-relax ka na. Next week pa lang, dapat paghandaan na ‘yung susunod,” he disclosed.
This is UST’s eighth championship in the boys’ division, while racking up their 11th for the distaff’s side.
