CAPAS, TARLAC – Ateneo de Manila University marched to its 10th straight UAAP Collegiate Men’s Swimming championship, powered by stellar performances from back-to-back MVP Miguel Barreto and Rookie of the Year TJ Amaro, at the conclusion of the UAAP Season 88 tournament on Sunday at the New Clark City Aquatics Centre here.
The Blue Eagles closed their dominant run in Season 88 with 471 points to comfortably claim the men’s division title. De La Salle University’s Green Tankers (294) finished as runner-up.
Meanwhile, the University of Santo Tomas Tigersharks (224) edged out the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons (214) for third place in this tournament backed by CF Moto, Masiv Sports, and Nike Swim.
In UAAP Swimming history, only two teams have ever posted a longer streak than Ateneo. UST claimed 12 straight men’s division titles from Seasons 19 to 30 during the 1950s–1960s. More recently, Ateneo itself had an 11-peat in the boys’ division from Seasons 68 to 78.
If surpassing these records once seemed impossible, the Blue Eagles are now well-positioned to do so in the coming years, with a core that still includes sophomore Barreto and freshman Amaro.
“Even after we got the seventh and eighth championships, we were already looking forward na we wanted to getting that tenth,” said Ateneo swimming program director Archie Lim. “But hindi siya parang you would think siyempre na we can just keep winning the championships, but siyempre meron siyang ibang struggles and may iba naging problema.
“But I think we overcame that and really, it’s the team naman talaga,” he added.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Barreto, who had already collected four golds and a silver in the first three days to secure his repeat MVP, stepped aside on the final day to let his teammates shine.
“Itong MVP na ito, actually hindi naman sa hindi ko ine-expect, pero nandiyan kasi sila TJ, one of the best,” said the 21-year-old sophomore. “Siya yung pinaka-tight competition ko pagdating dito. Siguro during the preparation for this season, yes inisip ko yung MVP and all, pero okay lang sa akin kahit ano mangyari if sa teammate ko mapupunta.
“Thankfully, nahanap ko pa rin yung spark para mag-enjoy and para makuha itong MVP,” he added.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Amaro shone in the men’s 50-meter freestyle, zooming past the competition to claim his third gold medal in 23.59 seconds, sealing his Rookie-of-the-Year honor. UST’s rookie duo of Zach Belen (24.03) and Marcus De Kam (24.12) completed the podium.
Ivo Enot also delivered for Ateneo, winning the men’s 50-meter backstroke in 26.94 seconds, ahead of DLSU’s Estifano Ramos (27.17) and UST’s Belen (27.29).
In the men’s 200-meter butterfly, Ateneo senior Marco Daos (2:09.14) led rookie teammate Paolo Labanon (2:10.15) to a 1-2 finish, with UST’s Ivan Radovan (2:13.44) taking bronze.
The Blue Eagles capped their historic Season 88 run with a final victory in the men’s 400-meter medley relay. Enot, Ace Espiritu, Rafael Barreto, and Charles Ticbaen touched the wall in 3:54.47 to hold off UP (3:54.96) and DLSU (3:57.71).
“If you think about it, ‘yon ang maganda na each season has a story nga. There were seasons na aminin ko na medyo dominating na talagang we were going for all the goals, and like you mentioned nga, there was one time na 12 lang kami or actually less pa nga, but we overcame that,” Lim said.
“I think it’s really more of the system. Hindi naman sa less complicated, but we try to break it up and nandiyan yung training, nandiyan na yung recruitment, and nandiyan na yung retention, even the coaches and of course, the Ateneo support. I think all the support goes on to this ‘ten-peat,'” he furthered.
Amid Ateneo’s dominance, Fighting Maroon Geoffrey Liberato swept the breaststroke events, claiming his third gold in the 200-meter breaststroke with a time of 2:22.93, ahead of UST’s JM Arca (2:25.50) and Ateneo rookie Juan Alessandro Suarez (2:27.07).
