INCOMING second-year UST Lady Tiger Judoka Margaret Fajardo won three medals in her first international judo competitions as she prepares for a bigger role in UAAP Season 88.
Fajardo took home silver and bronze medals at the 2025 Southeast Asia Judo Championships (SEAJC) held at the Rizal Memorial Stadium from July 18 to 20, before securing another bronze at the Asian Kurash Championship in South Korea from July 30 to Aug. 5.
“(It) is a huge milestone for me, especially since those were my first international tournaments,” Fajardo told the Varsitarian. “I gained a lot of valuable lessons, … boosted my confidence, (and) helped expand my knowledge and correct my errors.”
She won silver in the women’s 78-kilogram shiai juniors division and a bronze medal in the seniors division of the same weight class at the SEAJC.
Fajardo then added a bronze medal in the Asian Championship after falling short in the semifinals against an opponent from Turkmenistan.
Although she missed out on gold, Fajardo said the experience was a major opportunity for growth as an athlete.
“Super thankful lang din sa mga coaches and teammates na nag-help sakin to be 1% better every day, lalo na kay UST na walang sawang support sa mga athletes,” she said.
In March, Fajardo won gold in the open weight division at the 2025 Philippine Judo Federation National Judo Championships.
UST head coach Gerard Arce said Fajardo’s international exposure would be crucial in her continued development as she enters her sophomore year.
“She needs that so much to gain experience in international tilt,” Arce said. “Most likely, maglalaro din siya outside the country in the coming months, being part of the Kurash national team.”
“We’re keeping our fingers crossed na mas tumaas pa ang laro niya. Everyone naman sa team is important and will surely make contributions sa mga competitions and sa UAAP.”
The SEAJC featured select athletes from Southeast Asian countries, including the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, and Brunei.
The Asian Kurash Championship, held at the Geosan Cultural and Sports Center in South Korea, brought together 300 young Kurash athletes from more than 20 Asian countries.
Aside from the SEAJC, the UST Lady Tiger Judokas have also found success in other tournaments this year, including the 2025 Pilipinas Sambo National Open and the 2025 Jiu-Jitsu International Federation SEA Regionals.
