POISED to take their high place on the mat, the UST Lady Jins reigned supreme in the 2006 All-Womens Taekwondo Championship at the Ninoy Aquino Sports Complex last May 21.
The Lady Jins, who bagged their third straight UAAP title last January, hauled three golds, two silvers, and four bronzes to underscore their reputation as the best amateur team in the tournament.
“This is a good sign for us going into the UAAP wars,” UST Lady Jins coach Dindo Simpao said.
Lady Jin Daleen Cordero presided over UST’s 1-2-3 domination in the flyweight division when she outclassed teammate Caryn Pilongo in the finals via sudden death
Earlier, Pilongo brushed aside UAAP featherweight titlist Sarah Joy Arellano’s gutsy challenge in the semifinals, 3-2.
Ma. Reinee Arca, who bannered UST in the welterweight class last season, brought her winning act on the featherweight mat with a 1-0 drubbing of University of the East’s (UE) Lilac Mangondili in the finals. Arca shared top honors with Cordero and heavyweight champion Jan Rose Pacquing.
Meanwhile, UST’s welterweight bet Grace Magtibay came short of the gold after absorbing a stinging defeat at the hands of UE’s Monina Angeles. She settled for silver.
Other Thomasian medalists were Eireen San Diego (bantamweight), Catherine Bunyi (middleweight), and Season 68 Rookie of the Year Kathleen Valenzuela (lightweight), who all clinched bronzes.
