DESPITE having no training facility of their own, the UST Male Fencers scored a respectable third place performance in the UAAP to offset the last place finish of the women’s squad.
The Male Fencers chalked up a 1-2-1 gold-silver-bronze medal haul, only one gold shy of reigning champion University of the Philippines’ collection of 2-1-2 medals and runner-up Ateneo’s 2-0-1 finish.
Coach Arman Bernal said the outcome would have been better if the fencers had a regular training facility on campus.
“We used to train in Ultra where other schools train as well, that’s why they might have read and studied our techniques,” he said in Filipino. “But equipment-wise, we don’t have any trouble, that’s why we work hard to win and give the glory back to UST.”
UST could have won the title easily if it aced any of the head-to-head matches either in the individual or team epee, where it settled for a twin silver. UP cemented its lead early on, reaping a double gold in team sabre and individual epee in the tournament held at the Ateneo de Manila University’s Blue Eagle Gym from December 9 to 11.
Sydney Nogodula was responsible for UST’s lone gold medal by ruling the medal’s individual sabre. Nogodula bested Ralph Ramos of UP (silver), Michael Nicanor of University of the East (bronze) and Lino Manubag Jr. of Far Eastern University (bronze).
Season 71 MVP Harris Orendain placed second to Joshua Paunil of UP in men’s individual epee, while Gian Rodriguez of De La Salle University and John De Los Santos of UE snared a bronze apiece.
Orendain teamed up with Jake Jimenez and Joshua Caballero to score a runner-up finish in the team epee.
In the team sabre category, the UST triumvirate of Nogodula, Dindo Raquin, and Miles Fajardo finished third, behind UP and FEU which landed in first and second place, respectively.
The Lady Fencers had another disastrous campaign dropping to sixth spot from fifth place last year.
Losing last year’s epee bronze medallist Daryl Kaye Natividad to graduation, UST managed to garner a single bronze the entire tournament dominated by the powerhouse UE squad.
UE dominated all the six individual and team events, plus a silver in the individual sabre to walk away with the championship.
Nonetheless, UST did not go home empty-handed as Michelle Manimtim snared a bronze in the individual foil category.
