CAPAS, TARLAC — Reigning Most Valuable Players Patricia Santor and Aishel Evangelista showcased their dominance once again in the high school girls’ and boys’ divisions, respectively, each adding three gold medals to the University of Santo Tomas’ insurmountable tally on the penultimate day of the UAAP Season 88 Swimming Championships at the New Clark City Aquatic Center here.
Santor has had a flawless campaign this season, securing her fifth gold medal in as many events. On Day 3 alone, her victories in the girls’ 50-meter butterfly, 100-meter breaststroke, and 400-meter individual medley were so commanding they nearly shattered UAAP records.
In the girls’ 100-meter breaststroke, Santor edged out Ateneo de Manila University’s Anaia Lim (1:17.50) and UST’s Zichi Daiz (1:17.73), finishing in 1:17.41—just shy of the 1:17.27 UAAP record. She also threatened the UAAP record in the girls’ 400-meter individual medley, finishing in 5:17.88, ahead of Liv Florendo (5:19.57) of the University of the Philippines Integrated School and Ateneo’s Kleone Mole (5:37.34), narrowly missing the 5:17.53 benchmark.
Santor finally matched a UAAP record in the girls’ 50-meter butterfly, tying UST alumna Camille Buico’s mark with a time of 28.97 seconds. Ateneo’s Trixie Ortiguerra followed closely with 29.05 seconds, while UST’s Savinnah Oliveros took third in 29.63 seconds.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Meanwhile, Evangelista captured gold in the boys’ 200-meter freestyle (2:00.48), 400-meter individual medley (4:49.53), and 1,500-meter freestyle (17:05.41).
UST completed podium sweeps in two of these events: Charles Janda (4:59.48) and Sam Villanueva (5:08.86) joined Evangelista on the 400-meter individual medley podium, while Janda (17:47.81) and Abrix Cruz (17:51.60) did the same in the 1,500-meter freestyle. In the boys’ 200-meter freestyle, UPIS’ Kevin Chan (2:02.35) narrowly beat CJ Valenzuela (2:02.83) for silver.
After three days, UST leads the girls’ division with 435 points, well ahead of Ateneo de Manila University (194), UP Integrated School (141), and De La Salle Zobel (106). Meanwhile, UST now boasts 503 points in the boys’ division, more than double Ateneo’s 248 points. De La Salle Zobel has 90 points, UPIS 78, and PAREF-Southridge School 20.
Historic Day for Ortiguerra and Florendo
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Ortiguerra herself had a historic day, dominating the girls’ 100-meter backstroke and breaking the UAAP record twice.
In the morning preliminaries, she surpassed the decade-old mark of De La Salle Zobel’s Nikki Pamintuan (1:08.10) with a 1:07.85 finish, then lowered it to 1:06.68 in the afternoon finals. Annika Quinto (1:10.00) of DLSZ and UST’s Alex Rejuso (1:10.10) rounded out the podium.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Last season’s Rookie of the Year Florendo also shone for UPIS, winning the girls’ 200-meter freestyle in 2:14.76, ahead of UST’s Tintin Uy (2:15.76) and Daiz (2:17.61).
UST further stamped its dominance in the girls’ 200-meter freestyle relay as Mara Santiago, Jam Manocan, Yana Lagula, and Aica Sy not only captured gold but also set a new UAAP record, finishing in 1:54.33 to surpass the previous UST mark of 1:54.47.
Jr. Tigersharks Dominate
In the boys’ division, UST continued its near sweep on Day 3.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
The only gold to escape their grasp was in the boys’ 100-meter breaststroke, where Ateneo’s Miguel Martinez claimed victory in 1:08.35, edging UST’s Gabe Sy (1:08.99) and Jamen Bersamin (1:09.41).
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
UST’s Tim Capulong earned his first gold of the season in the boys’ 50-meter butterfly with 26.43 seconds, fending off Martinez (26.57) and Valenzuela (26.91). Kristoff David also claimed gold in the boys’ 100-meter backstroke, clocking 59.10 seconds to edge Ateneo’s Thirdy Lentejas (1:00.17) and UST’s Julian De Kam (1:03.06).
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
The day concluded with UST’s boys’ 200-meter freestyle relay team—Capulong, Joseph Ciudadano, Gian Abergos, and Jacob Tejada—pulling away for a comfortable gold in 1:40.48. UPIS and Ateneo finished second and third with 1:47.29 and 1:49.58, respectively.
