NEW BLOOD has been infused into the Institute of Physical Education and Athletics (IPEA) hierarchy.
After a successful year that produced yet another overall UAAP title, new appointees will take two important positions in the IPEA administrative staff. Taking the spot of former Chess coach Isaac Deita as Athletics moderator is Felix Michael Silbor, who takes on his first ever administrative job.
Silbor, a former Tiger booter, has been a P.E. teacher since 1981 and is currently serving in the IPEA Director?s Council.
MAKE IT six-in-a-row.
Its core reinforced by an able cast of veterans, the UST Lady Jins extended its reign on the UAAP mat via the sweep route to claim an unprecedented sixth consecutive taekwondo title last Sept. 13 and 17 at the Far Eastern Unviersity gym.
Taking the cue from their female counterparts, the “five-peat” UAAP champion Tiger Jins also broomed all their matches to dethrone archrival Far Eastern University and regain the top footing in the men’s side.
“As early as the first day (of competition), we knew that we have a strong chance of winning both titles in the men’s and women’s division because of our players’ experience,” coach Dindo Simpao told the Varsitarian. “Our final matches with FEU practically were no bearing because we have already secured the most number of victories in all our matches. But the players just want a sweep perhaps to make the victory sweeter.”
FEU and UP wound up second and third with 4-1 and 3-2 cards in the women’s division, respectively. Carrying the same win-loss ledger, Ateneo and FEU essayed a 2-3 finish to sandwich the Tiger Jins on the medal podium.
The Lady Jins, bannered by Season 71 MVP Caryn Pilongo, bantamweight Rookie of the Year Jade Zafra, finweight Nicole Amarillo, featherweight Aphrodite Brillantes, lightweight Emron Golding, welterweight Kathleen Valenzuela, middleweight Camille Manalo and alternates Czarina Cabuco and Beasia Morrison posted an immaculate 5-0 win-loss record with victories over Ateneo de Manila University (7-0), University of the East (7-0), De La Salle University (6-1), and University of the Philippines (4-3) aside from leading the individual medal tally.
Pilongo, Amarillo and Manalo accounted for UST’s three golds, while Brillantes, Golding and Valenzuela each garnered a silver and Zafra a bronze.
In men’s play, the resurgent Tiger Jins couched their own 5-0 win-loss mark on a two-gold, three-silver, two-bronze medal platform.
Christian dela Cruz and Samuel Morrison typified the Tiger Jins’ dominance in the bantam and welterweight classes with a pair of first-place finishes while Season 69 MVP Billy Coral and Ernest Mendoza played bridesmaids against their finweight and lightweight opponents from Ateneo and La Salle, respectively. Season 71 MVP Jurrie Bernardino (fly) and Rey David (bantam) settled for third in their own weight categories.
Meanwhile, Tiger Jin Dane Pio de Roda was named Rookie of the Year.
In junior’s play, the UST High School jins took runners-up honors after absorbing their only loss against eventual champion UE. With reports from Mika Rafaela A. Barrios
kick of taekwondo