IN A BID to gain slots on the national squad, Thomasian Judokas put up a one-gold, three-bronze output at the 49th National Individual Judo Championships last March 29 and 30 at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
Led by 2003 University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Most Valuable Player (MVP) and Rookie of the Year Archie Oliver Martinez, the squad managed to salvage its campaign despite surprising early exits.
Martinez, competing in the minimum extra-lightweight (-55 kgs.) division, proved to be the squad’s bright spot after being the only Tiger Judoka to garner a podium finish on the second day of competition.
Martinez ruled his weight class after a hard-fought 1/4 point (yuko) – 1/8 point (koka) win against Franco Teves of Zamboanga in the final.
Martinez started the tournament with a win over Richard Jao of Sorsogon, whom he defeated with a mount that resulted in an ippon. Martinez, who is currently taking his Masters in Psychology, followed up with a victory over University of Baguio’s Jerry Humiwat. Martinez got the win after scoring two waza-aris (half point).
Martinez struggled in pulling out a 1/8 point–0 win against Oliver Franco in the quarterfinal.
On the first day of competition, Francisco “Pacoy” Aniag, Cora Alhido and Karl Medina won bronzes to pad UST’s medal tally.
Alhido, who competed in her last UAAP season this year, settled for the bronze after losing to Philippine team member Estigy Liwanen in the middleweight quarterfinals. Aniag, who fought Zamboanga representatives for most of the tournament, ended with a bronze in the heavyweight (+100 kgs.) weight class. Medina won his medal in the half-heavyweight (–100 kgs.) category.
However, losses by Freddie Agoot, Wanda Casten and Renan Rodriguez dampened the team’s campaign. Agoot, who also competed in the –55 kgs category, bowed out from further competition after losing to Zamboanga’s Gem del Rosario in the second round.
Casten was likewise unable to reach the medal rounds after losing to Natasha Briosos in her second match. On the other hand, Rodriguez lost his tournament opener.
