Tag: Vol. LXXIV

LED BY the heroics of rookie sensation Archie Oliver Martinez, the University of Santo Tomas men’s judo squad blazed to a record-extending fifth straight championship last Feb. 2 at the University of the Philippines – College of Human Kinetics (UP-CHK) Gymnasium in Diliman, Quezon City.

Martinez, who won both the Most Valuable Player (MVP) and Rookie of the Year awards, ran roughshod over his opponents for an undefeated slate in his first UAAP tourney. “Nung sinabi ‘yung pangalan ko, hindi ko in-expect kasi inisip ko lang ‘yung title,” he said.

THE UST Lady Booters’ championship dream turned into a nightmare as they fell, 5-1, at the hands of the De La Salle University Lady Green Booters in the UAAP Women’s Football finals last Feb. 23 at the Ateneo field.

A week after they settled for a scoreless standoff in their last elimination round assignment, the España-based booters came out sluggish and failed to match the green-and-white booters’ intensity.

Rookie of the Year Stephanie Pheasant ignited DLSU’s fiery game with a goal early into the third minute of the game.

UST FENCERS made a repeat performance this year as the women’s and men’s teams delivered silver and bronze performances in UAAP competitions last month at the Philsports Fencing Hall.

UST and UP actually bagged three golds each but the España-based fencers settled for second overall as Diliman had superior ranking in all women’s events.

UST’s three golds came from Jocelyn Naval in the individual Sabre and from the team Epée and team Sabre events. Naval’s feat earned her Rookie of the Year honors.

THE RECENT University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Track and Field competitions saw the UST Tiger Tracksters reclaiming lost glory after a neck-and-neck battle against fierce rival University of the East (UE).

After 22 events, the Tiger Tracksters edged out their Recto-based rivals with a nail-biting 178-169 victory, putting them on a high as they bounced back from a fourth-place finish last season.

A memorable year

THOMASIAN athletes bagged bronze medals in the 1st University Karate Cup last March 15 at the De La Salle Sports Complex.

Freshmen Thislie Barruga and Juby Bernadette Ruiz, who represented the UST Athletic Karate Alliance (USTAKA), both took third place in the women’s divisions of the Individual Kata (Forms) and the Kumite (Sparring) events, respectively.

WINNING a UAAP general championship is no small task. It takes a conscious effort from every athlete for a university to achieve such an accomplishment. For 30 years now, UST has dominated the league. Here’s what Thomasians have to say about the feat:

IF EVERYTHING proceeds without hitches, former high school sensation Jun Cortez will likely suit up for the men’s senior basketball team next year.

Cortez, who did not play last season for being over-aged, hopes to make his much-awaited debut as a Growling Tiger in the UAAP’s 66th season.

Last year, it looked as if the 20-year-old would be the floor general for the Tigers after seeing action at Fr. Martin’s Cup. However, arrangements for him to skip his senior year of high school via the Pupil Evaluation Program (PEP) acceleration test failed.

FOR AN institution wherein sports excellence is the norm rather than the exception, only the best facilities will do not only to train athletes, but also to study the workings of the body to improve skills further.

Senator Robert Jaworski commended the University for its dedication to further studies on human performance and for providing basic and applied research opportunities on sports science during the inauguration of the Center for Research on Movement Science last Feb. 21 at the Thomas Aquinas Research Complex.

AS EXPECTED, the University of Santo Tomas got the much-needed boost from its second semester varsity teams en route to winning its 30th University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) General Championship.

After trailing De La Salle University by ten points at the end of the first half, 123-113, UST made a killing in the second half of the season as it took the crown in four events, placed second in five events, while settling for third in another four events.

AFTER a strong second-place finish last year in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines chess competition, the UST Male Woodpushers are bent on improving their performance this season despite the absence of ace player Roland Salvador.

Salvador, who was absent last year, will again be missed this season because of his training in the Philippine Navy.