The UST Tigersharks bagged 17 medals in their UAAP Season 85 swimming tournament opener at the Teofilo Yldefonso Swimming Pool on Thursday.
UST tallied eight gold, three silver, and six bronze medals across four categories.
Female Tigersharks Kristina Baccay, Djulia Brion, Zoe Hilario and Alyza Ng clocked 9:18.03 to finish gold in the 800-meter freestyle relay.
In men’s play, Lord Mikahael Cruz, Charles Arceo, Mervien Mirandilla, and Sean Terrence Zamora registered 1:49.24 in the 200-meter medley for UST’s first bronze.
The second bronze was won by Tigersharks Reynald Cullentas Jr., Nino La Torre, Russel La Torre and Juan Carlos Abad, who registered 8:18.88 in the 800-meter freestyle relay.
“Actually that’s a huge improvement (women’s team), because for so long, hindi kami maka-medal sa women. Sa men’s unfortunately, may sakit ‘yung supposed to be medalist, hindi siya nakalangoy,” UST head coach Caezar Alcantara told the Varsitarian.
The Junior Tigersharks racked up 14 medals to top the boys’ and girls’ standings.
The boys’ team finished with four golds, two silvers, and one bronze to top the standings with 134 points, while the girls’ team collected three golds, one silver and three bronzes for a division-best 127 points.
Junior Tigersharks Hugh Parto, Terren Delvo, Renz Santos and Nicholas Radovan set a new record in the UAAP boys’ 4x200M freestyle relay event after registering 8:15.22, almost nine seconds faster than the previous record of 8:24.86 by UST’s Shiloh Bandeling, Orlando Reyes, Sam Braga, and Angelo Dela Cruz in 2018.
The UST Tigersharks will continue their Season 85 campaign at the same venue tomorrow, Nov. 25, at 8:30 a.m. John Peter L. Cajayon
