THE UST Female Tracksters collected 30 medals to secure their third straight championship while the Male Tracksters finished second anew with 16 medals at the conclusion of the UAAP Season 79 athletics tournament at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig Sunday.
The Female Tracksters scored 490 points behind an 11-11-8 gold-silver-bronze medal haul while the Male Tracksters recorded 244 points off a 4-5-7 gold-silver-bronze tally.
Far Eastern University continued to reign in the men’s division for the seventh straight year.
EJ Obiena entered the record books anew with a 14.39-second performance in the men’s 110-meter hurdles, breaking the 14.47-second record made in 2014.
Sarah Dequinan’s 729 points in women’s heptathlon was good for the UAAP record and a spot in the Southeast Asian Games. Judy Almasa took home a silver for the Female Tracksters in the same event with 722 markers, surpassing the previous record as well.
Louielyn Pamatian and Feiza Lenton also bagged gold and silver in the women’s 1500-meter run, clocking in 4:53.58 and 4:53.67, respectively.
In women’s long jump, Alyssa Andrade chipped in another gold with a 5.72-meter throw while Almasa added bronze with 5.54 meters.
Mark Manipon and the team of Jie Calis, Charlize Villanueva, Luisa Almeida and Jessamarie Libres each bagged silver in men’s hammer throw and women’s 4×400-meter relay, respectively.
Kevin Capangpangan chipped in another bronze in the men’s 1500-meter dash, finishing with 4:07.59 seconds.
“We started strong and finished strong. We set three records this year. Ngayong season, mas crucial kasi maraming nawala,” UST head coach Manny Calipes said. “’Di gaya ng ibang teams na pababa ‘yung performance, tayo pataas nang pataas ‘yung energy heading into the fifth day.”
Louielyn Pamatian was named Most Valuable Player in the women’s division.
UST’s boys’ and girls’ team won silver and bronze overall, respectively.
“’Yung juniors natin magiging competitive next year kasi kumbaga mga grade seven pa lang ‘yan tapos ang kalaban mga grade 10,” Calipes added.
