TOP UST Judokas paraded their skills and dominated the 2010 National Judo Individual Championships last April 17-19 at the De La Salle University Enrique M. Razon Sports Complex.
Representing various regions of the country, the España-based judokas amassed a 9-3-2 gold-silver-bronze medal tally.
UST’s new recruit Setsuko Ando reaped three gold medals—two in the -70 kg class (white belt and juniors) and one in the open weight division, defeating all regional champions from different divisions.
Pinning down Zamboanga representative Ainee Potenciano, Lady Judoka Jewel de Castro scored an ippon (whole point) barely 28 seconds into the match to ace the -63 kg division.
De Castro duplicated the win in the juniors’ class to cop another gold. She also placed second to fellow Thomasian Ando in the open weight division.
Lady Judoka and RP team member Shallane Bello’s slam down of Zamboanga representative Joana Destora was worthy of an ippon, which won her a gold medal in the 1:43 mark of the -45 kg category.
Seventeen-year-old Jon Rodriguez clinched the bullion in the -66 kg mat after two take downs of Ferdinand Corcino to score two waza-ari’s (half point each) in the final round.
In the -73 kg bout, Nash Tagle took out Rodimple Rodriguez with 4:34 seconds to spare.
Romeo Arellano ruled the -81 kg contest after scoring a yuko (one-fourth point) in the Golden Score Rule (sudden death match) against Tracy Agramon of Zamboanga.
Annie Ramirez won silver after failing to score immediately against Jenilou Mosqueda of NCR in the sudden death of -57 kg match finals.
Not as fortunate, UAAP Season 72 Rookie of the Year Alexis Albor lost via unanimous decision to Blue Eagle Anjo Gumila in the -90 kg contest.
Benjamin Tan’s lone yuko in the 1:48 mark accounted for a bronze in the -90 kg match.
Harvy Navarro, also a new member of the UST Judoka, won the second bronze for the team in the -90 division of the white belts. Frauleine Michelle S. Villanueva
