National University reclaimed the UAAP Taekwondo Poomsae championship after sweeping the final two events of the competition on Tuesday evening at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Malate, Manila.
The title marked the Bulldogs’ first since Season 85 and their second overall. The victory also came just hours after the school’s baseball team secured its third straight championship.
NU also denied University of Santo Tomas’ bid for a three-peat and a record-extending seventh crown.
The poomsae squad delivered a fifth title for the Bustillos-based institution this season, following triumphs in Men’s Athletics, Women’s Standard Chess, Women’s Tennis, and Baseball.
“I think it was a help, na some of our senior high na we were developing entered the team. So, it was a big boost to the lineup; I think that’s one. Tapos, I think last season was very close also, bitin, so, this season super nipis lang din pero we worked hard, supposed to be the game was last year, super dikdikan ‘yung training yun nga adjust [and] we continued training,” said head coach Dustin Mella.
With NU, UST, and De La Salle University each claiming one gold medal early, the outcome boiled down to the team events, where the Bulldogs’ trios delivered the golds they needed.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
The women’s team of Antonette Medallada, Aeshia Oglayon, and Sophia Esteloso handled business in the final, posting an average of 8.967 to edge UST’s Aidaine Laxa, Nicole Labayne, and Heza Serapio, who scored 8.900.
La Salle’s Sofia Sarmiento, Casey de Leon, and Khia Cortez placed third after narrowly beating University of the Philippines’ Jona Castillo, Kate Orosco, and Jilliean Villar, 8.800 to 8.767.
UST, represented by King Nash Alcairo, Dane Subaste, and Leno Maximus Subaste, fired a strong 9.130 in the men’s team event, threatening to retain the title for a third straight season.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
However, NU’s Ian Corton, Ceanne Rosquillo, and Carl Johnsen Ong rose to the occasion, scoring 9.210 to clinch the gold and seal the championship for the Bulldogs.
La Salle once again finished third ahead of UP, with Carl John Viloria, Nathanael Managbanag, and Jesserey Frantilla scoring 9.030, surpassing Jian Borbon, Cye Evangelista, and Aaron Geslani’s 8.800.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Eventual Season MVP Corton gave NU an early edge by retaining the individual male title, finishing with 9.090 in the finals.
UST’s Leno Subaste secured the silver with 8.860, while Ateneo de Manila University’s Joaquin Tuzon earned a bronze with 8.700. La Salle’s Viloria claimed the other bronze with 8.600.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
In the women’s individual event, La Salle’s Sarmiento stunned the field to capture the Green Jins’ lone gold.
The graduating senior scored 8.960, narrowly ahead of Season 84 Rookie-MVP Laxa of UST (8.850), defending champion Medallada of NU (8.840), and Ateneo’s Elizabeth Borres (8.610).
The Tiger Jins made it a three-way race after winning the mixed pair event, with Alcairo and Labayne posting 9.150.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
The UST duo outperformed La Salle’s De Leon and Managbanag (8.960), NU’s Oglayon and Ong (8.920), and UP’s Joshua Cachero and Villar (8.870) to claim their lone gold.
NU’s Oglayon and Ong were named co-Rookies of the Year.
In the freestyle events, UST captured three of the four gold medals to build momentum heading into next season.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
The Tiger Jins ruled the individual male, individual female, and mixed team events, with Jeus Gabriel Yape winning two golds.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
La Salle’s Sofia Ignacio claimed the remaining gold in the individual female event, adding one silver and one bronze to her haul.
Far Eastern University also made its mark with three silver medals in the demonstration competition.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
In the high school division, UST secured the overall title with two golds, two silvers, and one bronze, led by inaugural MVP Angel Dacanay.
NU Nazareth School finished second with a 1–2–3 tally, while Ateneo de Manila placed third with 1–1–0.
Earlier in the day, three jins from the FEU-Diliman squad booked spots in the gold medal matches of the High School Boys’ kyorugi set for Friday.
Josh Pinatacan will face Ateneo’s Jonathan Chupungco in the under-48 kg final, while Jay-ar Cruza takes on NUNS’ Ethan Chavez in the under-55 kg division. Elisha Kleon Baquial is set to battle UST’s Raphael Gaupo in the over-70 kg class.
In the under-63 kg category, NUNS’ Chuck Alario will meet UST’s Akira Malonzo for the gold, while the under-70 kg division will feature an all-UST final between Khadryck Costina and Vonryan Romantico.
