VICTORY could have been twice as sweet for UST’s taekwondo teams if not for an on-the-road mishap that halted the Tiger Jins’ supposedly smooth-sailing “six-peat” drive.
And while the all-male Jins found themselves on unfamiliar terrain, yielding a dynastic five-year rule to their bitter rivals from the Far Eastern University (FEU), the Lady Jins matched their male counterparts’ Season 69 feat with an unprecedented “five-peat,” closing the UAAP taekwondo hostilities on a strong note last September 19-22 at the UST gym.
The nine-woman UST squad reaffirmed its billing as last year’s champions with a flawless 5-0 win-loss record capped by identical 7-0 wins over University of the East (UE) and Ateneo de Manila University, and De La Salle University (6-1).
It was not until they faced FEU that the Lady Jins were forced to slow down, managing to win via a one-point lead.
Finweight Czarina Cabuco gamely engaged FEU’s Precious Marie Malit but failed to dodge a counter just as time expired, giving the Morayta-based crew a 1-0 edge.
But flyweight gold medalist Aphrodite Brillantes returned the favor, trouncing Avagail De Dios, 5-1, to knot the count. Southeast Asian Games veteran Esther Marie Singson then put the Lady Jins ahead with a 3-0 drubbing of Kathlyn Estabo en route to the bantamweight gold.
Featherweight gold medalist Camille Manalo barely escaped with the third win after landing a pivotal axe kick on FEU’s Trixia Lagunsad with 0:07 left in the clock. With just another point away from victory, lightweight Kathleen Valenzuela sealed the deal for UST as she ousted Karen Ong, 2-0, even as FEU snared a pair of no-bearing matches to bring the score to 4-3.
The Lady Jins officially clinched the title with a 4-3 nipping of the University of the Philippines, 4-3. Meanwhile, Valenzuela was hailed as season MVP while Emron Mae Golding was named Rookie of the Year.
Dethroned
The Tiger Jins battered all pretenders to the throne except for a determined FEU team raring to heap vengeance on its Season 69 tormentors.
UST kicked of its title defense with a 5-2 pounding of La Salle to arrange an early showdown with FEU, the same team it had trouble disposing of last year.
The five-time champions drew first blood, thanks to the counter-attacking exploits of finweight Nicole Mapilisan and flyweight Juan Ricardo Bernardino. But the Tamaraws were unfazed by the turn of events, chalking up two wins from bantamweight Jhundreb Allas and featherweight Jacob Baroga.
Tiger Jin Kelvin Tabago topped the next fight to give UST a 3-2 margin. Gershon Bautista was given the chance to ultimately pound the nail on FEU’s coffin with another win but was denied by Michael Realista, forcing the game into a decisive seventh match.
In the end it was FEU bet Rene Ng who emerged as the better jin, prevailing over Archie Antonio, 3-1, to stain UST’s erstwhile spotless record.
The España squad clawed back with a 6-1 demolition of UE in the next match. A second-chance window opened for UST as La Salle looked headed to bring down FEU. But the Tamaraws clung on to their spotless record to ultimately become Season 70 champions.
“It was unfortunate, but the taste of defeat will only serve as an inspiration to train harder and better for the next season,” said Tiger Jins coach Dindo Simpao.
Prior to facing FEU, the Tiger Jins clobbered UP, 6-1, and Ateneo, 4-3. Bernardino was the only Thomasian to bag a gold for his dominating performance in the flyweight division while UST women’s coach Dennis Simpao was named Best Coach. Emil Dela Cruz
