THE UST Junior Tiger Jins emerged as champions in the UAAP Season 80 taekwondo tournament at the Ateneo de Manila Blue Eagle gym Friday.
Junior Tiger Jin Israel Cantos was named MVP.
Their male and female senior counterparts, however, finished third and fourth, respectively, both losing to National University.
NU took home its first championship in the men’s division after edging out the Tiger Jins, 6-1.
The Bulldogs cruised to four consecutive wins after Diether Baylon sent a kick in the torso of UST’s Lennard Perez in the fourth match, 15-7.
UST easily won over UE after the Red Warriors could not field players in four categories.
In women’s play, Lady Jin Alyssa Asegurado failed to escape multiple hits in the torso from NU’s Rhezie Aragon, 19-29, giving the win to the Bulldogs in the fourth game.
Lady Jin Marjelle Sy fell from a kick in the torso in the sudden death round against Ateneo’s Danielle Morales, 11-13. Morales then secured a fourth win in the sixth game.
“We played well but we fell short. NU talaga is one of the seeded teams. Sila ‘yung may mga key players and they performed much better than we did,” UST head coach Jasmin Simpao told the Varsitarian.
In the individual category, Jeshlin Gas and Colleen Heria (bantamweight) notched silver while Reign Ragutana (heavyweight) took bronze.
Aries Capispisan (lightweight) secured gold while Isaiah Lorbes (welterweight) nabbed silver. Rhayzor Catris (featherweight) pocketed bronze.
