Tag: No. 8

THE UST Eco Tigers finished fifth overall in both the urban and prototype categories at the conclusion of the 2016 Shell Eco Marathon-Asia last March 4 at the Quirino Grandstand.

The UST Eco Tigers’ “T400D” and “T400E,” the prototype and urban concept entries of the team, recorded fuel consumption of 69 kilometers per liter (km/L) and 54 km/L respectively.

UST was the only university from the Philippines that made the cut for the alternative fuel urban concept category. The Eco Tigers weren’t given the chance to parade their entry for the urban concept category last year after failing to pass technical inspection.

OLYMPIC hopeful Ernest John Obiena once again rewrote the record books by surpassing his own Philippine record in the pole-vaulting event at the recently-concluded Philippine National Games in Pangasinan last March 13.

The electronics engineering major surpassed his record of 5.46 meters set last month by a whisker, clearing 5.47 meters in the annual event. He tried to attempt the hallowed Olympic standard of 5.70 meters, but failed twice.

“My emotions were blank [after the attempt],” he told the Varsitarian. “Maybe [I could have cleared] 5.70 meters but only God would know what I could have done that day. But one thing is for sure. It was not my best result.”

THE University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) board should do something so that the coverage of the women’s volleyball by ABS-CBN as well as that by the general media would focus more on the skills of the players, not their looks and figures. There appears a worrisome tendency by sports commentators and journalists to make “sexist” remarks like “pretty” and “sexy” when making references to the female athletes.

UST REGAINED its rightful spot in the UAAP, winning a record 40th general championship.

The Tigers collected a total of five championships and finished with 283 points, just three points ahead of two-time champion De La Salle University, which posted 280 markers. The University of the Philippines finished third with 236 points.

UST was poised to regain the overall title after the first semester events, leading La Salle, 152-147. But the Tigers lost ground after the football team and women’s squads volleyball and chess faltered.

UST ALMOST fell short of bagging the UAAP overall title for the third straight season until the Tiger Softbelles saved the day.

The school thus captured its 40th UAAP general championship, which almost slipped away due to De La Salle University's strong performance. La Salle worked its way up the ladder with three of its teams reaching the finals of their respective events.

Not if the Tiger Softbelles could help it.

As the last UST team playing, they had immense pressure on their shoulders. Things were not looking great for them at the beginning of the second round after they fell to sixth place with a 3-5 win-loss record. La Salle's softball team was sitting comfortably in second place with a 6-2 card.

DESPITE the lack of private benefactors, UST still provides top-of-the-line equipment, housing and respectable monthly allowances for its student-athletes.

As far as budget is concerned, many UST coaches see no problem when it comes to the support their respective squads receive.

Golden Booters head coach Marjo Allado said there was no need for UST to offer money to student-athletes during recruitment because the school already offers a lot of benefits.

SOMETIMES letting go leads to better opportunities.

Steven Anotado is probably thankful that swimming did not work out for him early. He found his niche in football and emerged as the top striker for the UST Golden Booters this year.

“From Grade 1 to 3, I and my twin brother (were into) swimming but I could not win and reach the regional meet and Palarong Pambansa so I shifted to football,” Anotado told the Varsitarian.

Influenced by his cousin, Anotado, a second-year Sports and Wellness Management student, transferred to football when he was in Grade 4 but failed to qualify for his school’s football team in North Cotabato.

AWARE of the huge attention given to women’s volleyball, newly minted UST Golden Tigresses head coach Emilio “Kung Fu” Reyes, Jr. insists he's up for the challenge for the underachieving squad.

“Mas gusto ko magtrabaho under pressure, doon made-develop ‘yung patience at kung gaano kalawak ‘yung pag-iisip natin,” Reyes told the Varsitarian. “It’s a personal matter, my willingness to carry the team. Sabi ko nga, it is another page sa buhay ko.”

The former UAAP girls’ volleyball champion coach was named new chief tactician of the Tigresses last Apr. 22.

ED DAQUIOAG tried to carry the load for UST but the undermanned Growling Tigers bowed to the San Beda Red Lions, 64-74, in the 2015 FilOil Flying V Hanes Premier Cup at the San Juan Arena last May 2.

After a tightly contested first half, the reigning National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball champion managed to pull away against the Growling Tigers after a 20-8 blitz in the third quarter to open a commanding 61-48 lead entering the final frame.

The Tigers relied on the stellar performance of Daquioag who spearheaded an 11-2 run to trim the lead to just 10, 59-69. The veteran guard scored 29 points.