AGE DOES not matter.
The UST Female Tigersharks roster of neophytes Edzen Dinglasan and Lianne Marquez and Season 68 Rookie of the Year (ROY) Josephine Pilapil, and junior player Apryl Herrera proved that the absence or lack of UAAP exposure was not a hindrance to UST’s retention bid as they nailed their third consecutive UAAP championship.
With a precarious 112-110 lead over Ateneo de Manila University (Ateneo) after the first two days of the annual meet, the España-based tankers swam against seasoned swimmers and subdued veteran rivals to stage a last minute medal rush. After a so-so debut performance, the wards of coach Cyrus Alcantara were not to be denied of the title by bagging two gold, eight silver, and seven bronze medals to cap off a 260-point title-clinching performance. University of the Philippines (UP) and Ateneo finished far second and third with 223 and 204 markers, respectively.
“They really fought hard for the title because they desired it,” Alcantara told the Varsitarian.
Prime of youth
Alcantara admitted to the Varsitarian that he expected Dinglasan and Marquez to register podium finishes, but the neophytes came more than prepared to overcome the challenge.
“We were just more than ready to win the tournament,” Dinglasan said.
Dinglasan, a veteran of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Age Group, bannered UST in breaststroke events. The Mindoro native hauled gold medals in the 50-meter (37.03 seconds), 100-meter breaststroke (one minute and 20 seconds), and 200-meter races (2:51.13), while fellow rookie Marquez bagged the gold in the 50-meter backstroke event (32.49) and was the bridesmaid in the 200-meter Individual Medley (IM) (2:33.99), the 100-meter butterfly (1.09.13), the 200-meter backstroke (2:33.90), and the 200-meter butterfly (2:35.58). Marquez finished a close second to Season 69 MVP Luica Dacanay of UP in the 100-meter backstroke with 1:11.87 against Dacanay’s 1:09.55.
Dinglasan almost won the ROY plum, but lost to Ateneo’s Heidi Ong. Ong broke the eight-year-old (28.32) 50-meter freestyle record of former UP tanker Alzina Lim at 28 seconds.
“Sayang rin siyempre, but it is all good because we won the title anyway,” Dinglasan said.
Meanwhile, 2005 Manila Youth Games MVP Apryl Herrera had another fruitful UAAP season with two silver and three bronze medals. The 19-year-old Herrera timed in at 4:54.48 and at 2:18.36 to place second in the 400-meter and the 200-meter freestyle events.
Meanwhile, sophomore sensation Josephine Pilapil still managed to pull off podium finishes despite a knee injury. Pilapil, who was mentored by Conreylito Dalisay in the earlier part of her career in Palawan, decided not to undergo therapy before the UAAP because it would hamper her from joining the competition at all.
“If I underwent therapy, I would not be allowed to train or even compete,” she explained.
The 19-year-old Pilapil snared silvers in the 50-meter breaststroke (37.61) and the 200-meter breaststroke (2:53.13). Pilapil also bagged bronze medals in the 200-meter IM (2:35.14), 50-meter freestyle (29.13), 100-meter freestyle (1:03.15), and the 200-meter freestyle (2:18.48).
And with most Female Tigersharks still possessing three to four years of UAAP eligibility, the outstanding swimmers will definitely be geared toward more title-clinching feats in the years to come.
“With a solid lineup and a couple of equally skilled players joining the team, I can see us reigning UAAP for five to six more years,” Herrera said.
