University of Santo Tomas leaned on strong performances in the team events and mixed pair category to secure its second consecutive title in the UAAP Season 87 Poomsae Championships on Thursday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
Reaffirming their status as the league’s most successful program, the Tiger Jins claimed three golds, surpassing their haul from last season, and clinched a record sixth crown.
“I don’t want to say that it’s difficult, but it’s a good kind of challenge because everyone is getting better every year. The intensity and skill level keeps rising,” said UST head coach Rani Ortega. “It’s a healthy competition because everyone here knows each other. Some of them are even teammates in the national team. Us coaches are really close. This competition shows the beauty and grace of poomsae and how we can transform it into something nice for the audience.”
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
National University kicked off the competition by taking the individual golds, with Antonette Medallada winning in the women’s category and Ian Corton triumphing in the men’s.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
UST regained momentum in the mixed pair event, where Paul Rodriguez and Chelsea Tacay clinched the gold, before sweeping both team categories. Tacay, Maria Nicole Labayne, and Stella Nicole Yape secured the women’s team gold, while Rodriguez, King Nash Alcario, and Dane Subaste dominated the men’s team event.
Despite losing key contributors from last season—Vincent Rodriguez, Aidaine Laxa, and Kobe Macario—the Tiger Jins proved they remain the gold standard in UAAP poomsae.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
Tacay and Rodriguez scored 8.910 points in the mixed pair, edging NU’s Ceanne Rosquillo and Season 85 MVP Laeia Soria, who tallied 8.770. UP’s Joshua Cachero and Alyssa Caabay completed the podium with 8.720.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
In the women’s team event, Tacay, Labayne, and Yape registered 8.950 points, outshining NU’s Soria, Sophia Estelloso, and Medallada (8.680) and De La Salle University’s Sofia Sarmiento, Khia Mae Cortez, and Sofia Ignacio (8.670).
Tacay, who earned her second straight Most Valuable Player award, reflected on the team’s journey. “Same pa din yung mga training namin from last year, but the eagerness this year to get the championship again… We focused more on the mental aspect because may pressure kasi we haven’t gotten the back-to-back for UST,” she said.
“Mas na-hone yung leadership ko from the last year. This year as a senior and as a captain, mas nag-focus ako kung paano ko aangat yung team ko,” added the 23-year-old Baguio native.
With the gold medal count tied at 2-2 heading into the finals, Coach Ortega motivated her team to stay composed and focus on their shared goal.
“I told everyone in the finals to reset, start again. Think that you are not doing this for yourself—you are doing it for UST. It’s for a higher calling so that they won’t feel alone on the mat and that everybody is here for them,” Ortega shared. “I’m happy with how they performed, and I’m so proud of them.”
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
The Tiger Jins sealed their championship run with a stellar performance from Alcario, Rodriguez, and Subaste, who tallied 9.210 points to outscore NU’s Corton, Rosquillo, and Juan Marco Medallada (9.030) and La Salle’s Nathanael Managbanag, Carl Villorda, and Jesseyrey Frantilla (8.780).
In the individual events, Medallada triumphed with 8.970 points, besting UST’s Labayne (8.870) and La Salle’s Sarmiento (8.660). NU completed a sweep of the individual golds when Corton tallied 9.030 points to beat UST’s Alcario (8.830) and La Salle’s Managbanag (8.740).
NU, the Season 85 champions, showed significant improvement, finishing second overall with a 2-2-1 tally. La Salle rounded out the podium with four bronzes, marking their second straight year in the top three despite losing standout Patrick Perez to graduation.
Rodriguez was named Rookie of the Year, while the Fighting Maroons of UP finished fourth overall. Ateneo and Far Eastern University completed the six-team field. (TJ)
