THE UST Growling Tigers wrapped up the Luzon leg of the 5th Philippine National Games (PNG) last July 2 to 7 with varying finishes in several events.
The Tiger Tracksters dominated the athletics competition after bringing home 54 medals in the four-day meet at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.
The senior Tracksters collected a 7-4-2 gold-silver-bronze medal haul while the junior squad had an impressive 22-13-6 tally.
Gerard Morales captured gold and silver in men’s 100- and 400-meter hurdles, respectively, while Michelle Loterte ruled the women’s triple jump, 400-meter hurdles and 200-meter dash events.
Aldee Denuyo (women’s 100-meter), Riza Faith Sombilla (javelin throw), Jessah Fernandez (hammer throw) and the team of Loterte, Denuyo, Rechelle Abotalmo and Michelle de Vera (4×100 relay) each provided UST a gold medal in their respective events.
In the juniors’ division, Louielyn Pamatian led UST’s unit after clinching two gold medals from the 1,500-meter and 800-meter dash, while Feiza Lenton added another gold in the 400-meter dash.
Emily Obiena entered UST in the record books with a 3.30-meter performance in girls’ pole vault for a new PNG record and a gold medal, while Sarah Dequinan had a gold of her own in the girls’ heptathlon.
“The PNG results mean nothing compared with our UAAP targets,” head coach Manny Calipes said. “What we achieved now was more on team bonding because this was the first time that the new recruits and veterans competed as a team.”
The UST Lady Judokas hammered an 8-6-10 medal tally in the three-day judo tournament at the Makati Coliseum.
UST proved to be a force to reckon with after Thomasians Annie Ramirez, Lorelei Tolentino and Tracy Jean Honorio completed a podium sweep in the women’s 57 kg division.
Meanwhile, the UST Tiger Jins garnered a 7-9-10 total in the taekwondo tournament in Marikina from July 4 to 5.
Juan Miguel Ramos (featherweight), Cedric Perez (middleweight), Rhayzor Catris (flyweight) and Aries Capispisan (lightweight) lorded over the individual men’s division to add four gold medals for UST, while Lady Jins Colleen Heria (finweight), Arriane Asegurado (featherweight) and Marjelle Sy (welterweight) bagged three gold medals.
In the fencing tournament, the Tiger Fencers ended their PNG stretch with one gold, four silver and eight bronze medals.
Ashley Espiritu shook off a right ankle sprain and bested University of the East’s Mickyle Bustos, 15-8, to bag UST’s lone gold medal in the womens’ individual epee.
In baseball, the UST Golden Sox failed to secure a podium finish after a 3-13 beating against the Itakura Parts Philippines Corporation and settled for fourth place in the national tournament at the Rizal Stadium.
The Golden Sox had a chance to salvage bronze against De La Salle University but head coach Jeffrey Santiago decided not to go on ,with the team’s health in peril.
“Kaya naman mag-third place kaso tiningnan ko 'yung mga bata, hindi na nila kaya. ‘Yung iba may sakit na at ‘yung iba injured pa.” Santiago said.
In other events, the UST Tiger Paddlers won one silver and two bronze medals in the table tennis tournament at the Harrison Plaza in Manila.
In the doubles events, the pair of Norielle Pantoja and Alberto Bazar clinched silver after fumbling in the final round against Adamson University’s Vladimir Rarama and Francis Bendebel, 11-8, 8-11, 7-11, 9-11 while the Lady Paddlers’ duo of Rizza Darlucio and Nina Nacasabog bowed to La Salle, 6-11, 6-11, 6-11 in the women’s doubles semifinal match and settled for third place.
“Satisfied naman kami kasi madami silang nakalaban na malakas [na] makakalaban din nila sa UAAP,” interim captain Justin Catalan said.
In badminton action, twins Henry and Henrick Peralta settled for silver after a 21-18, 19-21, 15-21 defeat against the Whackers Badminton Academy in the juniors’ doubles division, while Alcaed Sabanal and Steffie Aquino (elite mixed category) succumbed to National University’s Alem Palmares and La Salle’s Aires Montilla in two sets, 17-21, 18-21 for another silver. Randell Angelo B. Ritumalta
