THOMASIAN athletes dominated the 4th POC-PSC Philippine National Games last May 16 to 25.
Tiger Spikers Mark Gil Alfafara and Kris Roy Guzman took home the championship in the men’s beach volleyball tournament after surviving the pair from Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Aga Tahiluddin and Halim Khan, 21-23, 26-24, 15-8, at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.
The UST duo lost all first sets of their six games but managed to come back for a perfect 6-0 win-loss record.
“Nahirapan kami mag-adjust sa mga unang sets dahil konti lang ‘yung araw na magakasama kami ng partner ko sa training dahil sa summer classes niya at na-admit ako sa hospital a week before the games,” said Guzman, UAAP Season 76 beach volleyball Rookie of the Year.
Sandcourt rookies Cherry Ann Rondina and Rica Jane Rivera settled for silver in the women’s division after bowing to Southwestern University of Cebu in straight sets, 10-21, 12-21. The other UST pair of Charisma Buan and Bianca Cruz bagged the bronze medal.
The UST tracksters collected a 2-3-5 gold-silver-bronze medal haul in the six-day athletics tournament at the Philsports Complex in Pasig.
Dave Gumacal and Vilma Santa Ana ruled both men’s and women’s divisions of the 10,000-meter walk after clocking 54:49.2 and 1:06.26.3, respectively. Jenelyn Surdilla reaped a silver medal in the same event as she finished after 1:07.03.8.
Jessah Mae Fernandez placed second in the women’s hammer throw and third in discus throw, while Riza Faith Sombilla clinched a silver in shot put.
Michelle Loterte (triple jump), Cristelle Jane Ferrera (hammer throw) and JilaDela Rosa (1500 meter run) walked away with bronze medals in their respective categories.
The team of Elbren Neri, June Earl Gan, Rudy Medalla and Gerard Glen Morales snatched a bronze in 4×400 meter relay.
The Junior tracksters dominated the high school division after a 9-7-5 gold-silver-bronze medal tally.
Romnick Nor led the UST contingents after collecting two golds from 200-meter run and 4×100 relay, and a silver from 100-meter dash. Louielyn Pamatian also added a pair of first-place finishes in both the 800 and 1500-meter run in the girls’ division.
Sarah Dequinan contributed a gold in heptathlon and a silver in the 400-meter run, while Roque Lesondra led the 4×400-meter relay and took the gold medal.
The UST Golden Judokas snared five gold, four silver and seven bronze medals in the seniors division of the judo tournament.
Rhodesa Mae Bayas and Patricia Raymundo won the gold in -52 kg and -63 kg category (juniors), respectively, and secured the silvers.
Kimberly Pantoja and Trina Esguerra both settled for bronze. Renzo Cazenas was the only male judoka to make it to the podium in the seniors’ division as he ranked third in -90 kg event. He also placed first in the juniors division.
The UST Softbelles concluded with a runner-up trophy after losing to Bacolod, 2-3.
The Visayan team rallied back to tie the match, 2-all, before scoring a Run Batted In in the seventh inning to cop the championship.
In badminton, national team mainstay and Tiger Shuttler Paul John Pantig and fellow Philippine team campaigner Carlos Antonie Cayanan of De La Salle University won a silver medal in a 9-21, 10-21 loss to Joper Escueta and Ronel Estanislao in the finals.
