Blue Tankers stay steady; Lady Maroons trim deficit

The Men’s and Women’s Swimming Teams of the Ateneo de Manila University took contrasting paths in the 79th UAAP Swimming Championships after the second day of action at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex Swimming Pool.

Despite both teams combining for another seven of the ten gold medals at stake, the Blue Tankers maintained their dominance over the field, while the University of the Philippines Lady Maroons inched closer to the Ateneo Lady Tankers in what looks to be another exciting finish to the storied rivalry.

UAAP Season 79 Men’s Swimming

Only De La Salle University Green Tanker Alfonso Bautista got away with a gold medal outside of Ateneo as he tied the UAAP record of Ateneo’s Carlo Silva (29.69) in the 50m Breaststroke during the morning preliminaries. In the afternoon finals, however, he was only able to manage a time of 29.79 but was still good enough for first place, upsetting Silva, who finished third in 29.96 behind teammate Paolo Mutuc’s 29.89.

The rest of the events were ruled by Ateneo. The Blue Tankers got back at DLSU as Gerard Reyes (2:11.84) and Brandon Sing (2:14.41) pushed last year’s gold medalist in the 200m Backstroke, Neil Puyo (2:14.76), to third place.

Axel Ngui got back to gold medal form in the 400m Freestyle, finishing the distance in 4:07.66, as rookie sensation Jethro Chua followed next in 4:13.25. Dexter Lacuna of UP was third in 4:16.78. Jessie Lacuna collected his second individual gold medal for Ateneo in the 100m Butterfly by clocking 56.29, while DLSU’s Alnair Guevarra (57.88) and Red Silvestre (58.73) rounded out the podium.

The story of the afternoon, however, goes to the 400m Freestyle Relay team of Sing, Mutuc, Justin Sy and Chua, who established a new UAAP record of 3:39.80. The University of the Philippines’ anchor leg swimmer, Rafael Sta. Maria, was leading by a good two body-lengths, only to be chased down by a spirited Chua in the last lap. Together with Carlo Doragos, Alfred Rojo, and Lans Donato, Sta. Maria took the silver medal with a time of 3:40.01. DLSU brought home the bronze by clocking in at 3:47.38.

Even when the opposing teams seemed to have won one over the defending champions, Ateneo still found a way to overcome the challenge. If anything, their 120-point lead affords them the freedom to enjoy the last two days of the tournament worry-free.

UAAP Season 79 Women’s Swimming

The same cannot be said for the Ateneo Lady Tankers. With a lineup severely lacking in breaststroke depth, the UP Lady Maroons were able to cut the lead of Ateneo by almost half. Joy Rodgers led the way for UP, as her time of 33.95 in the 50m Breaststroke was clearly ahead of silver medalist Ramona Datu of Ateneo, who touched in at 36.02. UP’s Kristina Bartolome took home the bronze medal in 36.06.

UP, represented by Ariana Canaya, Daniella Torres, Teresa Dela Rosa and Monica Padilla, also bagged a gold medal in the 400m Freestyle Relay, finishing it in 4:19.36, on top of Ateneo’s quartet of Shayn Ting, Shaye Uy, Hannah Castaneda, and Andrea Torres, who were a full second behind at 4:20.36. DLSU finished third a further distance back in 4:28.54.

It was a busy day for reigning back-to-back UAAP MVP Hannah Dato of Ateneo as she notched her second and third gold medals this season in the 400m Freestyle (4:40.87) and the 100m Butterfly (1:04.63). Angelic Saavedra (4:44.88) of the University of Santo Tomas was runner-up in the 400m Freestyle, while UP’s Delia Cordero (4:45.05) managed to place third. Cordero (1:04.80) improved to a silver medal finish in the 100m Butterfly, and season 78 Rookie of the Year Romina Gavino (1:07.90) of Ateneo took the bronze medal.

Ateneo’s Ariana Herranz repeated as gold medalist of the 200m Backstroke by completing it in 2:27.04. DLSU’s Catherine Bondad took the silver in 2:29.29, while UP’s Nadine Tee Ten took the bronze in 2:32.97.

Midway through the four-day tournament, Ateneo and UP are in the thick of their nine-year rivalry where Ateneo has a total of three championships (Season 71, 77 & 78) against UP’s five straight (Season 72-76).

The third day of action continues today at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex Swimming Pool with the 200m Freestyle, 100m Breaststroke, 50m Butterfly, 100m Backstroke, 400m Individual Medley, and 200m Freestyle Relay.