University of Santo Tomas continued its domination of the UAAP High School Taekwondo tournament, sweeping the competition 5-0, Monday at the Blue Eagle Gym in Quezon City.
This is the Junior Tiger Jins’ 13th crown in the competition.
“Siyempre, may kaba kasi pati mga players randam nila yung jitters. But, still we pulled through. This is a happy day for us,” UST head coach Gershon Bautista admitted.
Most Valuable Player Marco Anthony Rubio paced the Junior Tiger Jins with a sweep in the minus-63 kg category to walk away with gold. On the other hand, Josh Maquiling won the minus-48 kg class while Mark Gariega took the plus-70 kg title.
Kim Pasion and Aron Bangayan completed a podium sweep for the Tiger Jins with a silver in the minus-70 kg and a bronze in the minus-55 kg, respectively.
Far Eastern University-Diliman improved to second this year, but not without dealing UST a 3-2 scare in the eventual champions’ final outing of the day. FEU’s Prince Castro absorbed a loss against the +70 kg gold medalist Bariega in the decider
The Baby Tamaraws overpowered the Ateneo Blue Eaglets in the last match to overtake Nazareth School–National University for the runner-up finish.
That close win against the Baby Tamaraws, Bautista attributed to their match fitness.
“Pinaka naniniwala ako sa endurance is because we had a very good strength and conditioning program with our good taekwondo program talaga. And maganda yung support ng parents at ng IPEA sa team,” he said.
Both FEU and NU ended with identical 3-2 win-loss records but the Baby Tams’ win over the Bullpups gave them silver.
Timothy Arcabos bagged FEU’s lone gold in the minus-55 kg, while Russel Villanueva added the minus-63 silver.
NU got two silvers with Rama Liporada in the minus-55 kg and Djanne Sarria in the plus-70 kg and three bronzes with Marcus Hinojas, Kurt Maverick Barbosa, and Darwin Cea winning the minus-48, minus-63, minus-70 kg, respectively.
Jemuel Rendora got the other gold for University of the East in the minus-70 kg. Other medalists are Kyle Tagsip of UE, minus-48 kg silver, and De La Salle Zobel’s Ibrahim Omer, plus-70 kg bronze.
