University of the Philippines staged a remarkable comeback in the individual events to wrest the UAAP Season 89 women’s badminton overall championship away from Ateneo de Manila University and National University, claiming its record-extending 11th crown under the three-event format on Tuesday at Gameville Central Park in Mandaluyong City.
Trailing after the team event, the Fighting Maroons turned the tables in the individual competitions, with a championship-clinching gold in the women’s doubles propelling them to the overall title with 20.875 points.
“There were upsets nitong mga nakaraang araw, but nag-reset lang kami. Nag-restart at nag-refocus na kung ano pang puwede naming gawin, gawin na namin. Ibuhos na namin, tigas lang,” said UP’s graduating captain, Susmita Ramos.
“Sobrang saya ko lang kasi last season ko na; nadagdagan ‘yung saya ko na hindi lang kami naka-bronze pero nakuha pa rin namin ‘yung overall.”
(C) UAAP Season 89 Media Team
The Fighting Maroons will have their work cut out for them in defending the crown, with Ramos, Kimberly Lao, Anthea Gonzalez, and Pat De Leon all graduating. However, the team captain remains confident in the program’s future.
“Masasabi ko lang sa girls, and sa men’s na rin, na sana huwag nilang gawing pressure ‘to, kundi maging motivation ‘to to work hard pa,” she said.
Lao and Ramos delivered the decisive breakthrough, capping their collegiate careers in style with a hard-fought 19–21, 21–9, 21–17 victory over Adamson University’s Mary Untal and Jasmine Reformina in the women’s doubles final.
Their triumph proved crucial in UP’s charge for the overall crown, as the Fighting Maroons made the most of the individual events to overcome their deficit and finish atop the standings.
Ateneo, which won the women’s team event, had to settle for second overall with 20.8 points, just 0.075 behind UP. Daena Castro and Andrea Hernandez, along with Angel Valle and Althea Hernandez, gave the Blue Eagles a pair of bronze medals in the women’s doubles.
(C) UAAP Season 89 Media Team
NU completed the overall podium with 20.7 points, just 0.1 behind Ateneo. Captain and Season MVP Sab Amora, meanwhile, capped her UAAP career with an undefeated campaign, highlighted by a 21–14, 21–16 victory over UP’s Brys Fuggan in the women’s singles final.
“Hindi ko rin po ma-explain ‘yung nararamdaman ko, sobrang overwhelmed po na kahit natalo kami sa team tie, at nag-third po kami overall, sobrang happy ng heart ko na nakuha ko ‘tong gold na ‘to for NU,” said Amora, the runner-up in the women’s singles of the 2024 Philippine National Badminton Open.
“Ayoko lang din silang i-pressure kasi the more na sinasabi ko sa kanila na kailangang makuha ‘yung gold, masyado silang nag-o-overthink. Pero ang sinasabi ko na lang, gawin lang nila ‘yung best nila kasi ‘yun ‘yung way para makuha ‘yung gold,” Amora added, sharing her parting words with her NU teammates.
Women’s doubles silver medalists Untal and Reformina shared the distinction as Rookies of the Year.
