Tag: March 24, 2003

LED BY the heroics of rookie sensation Archie Oliver Martinez, the University of Santo Tomas men’s judo squad blazed to a record-extending fifth straight championship last Feb. 2 at the University of the Philippines – College of Human Kinetics (UP-CHK) Gymnasium in Diliman, Quezon City.

Martinez, who won both the Most Valuable Player (MVP) and Rookie of the Year awards, ran roughshod over his opponents for an undefeated slate in his first UAAP tourney. “Nung sinabi ‘yung pangalan ko, hindi ko in-expect kasi inisip ko lang ‘yung title,” he said.

THE RECENT University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Track and Field competitions saw the UST Tiger Tracksters reclaiming lost glory after a neck-and-neck battle against fierce rival University of the East (UE).

After 22 events, the Tiger Tracksters edged out their Recto-based rivals with a nail-biting 178-169 victory, putting them on a high as they bounced back from a fourth-place finish last season.

A memorable year

WINNING a UAAP general championship is no small task. It takes a conscious effort from every athlete for a university to achieve such an accomplishment. For 30 years now, UST has dominated the league. Here’s what Thomasians have to say about the feat:

IF EVERYTHING proceeds without hitches, former high school sensation Jun Cortez will likely suit up for the men’s senior basketball team next year.

Cortez, who did not play last season for being over-aged, hopes to make his much-awaited debut as a Growling Tiger in the UAAP’s 66th season.

Last year, it looked as if the 20-year-old would be the floor general for the Tigers after seeing action at Fr. Martin’s Cup. However, arrangements for him to skip his senior year of high school via the Pupil Evaluation Program (PEP) acceleration test failed.

FOR AN institution wherein sports excellence is the norm rather than the exception, only the best facilities will do not only to train athletes, but also to study the workings of the body to improve skills further.

Senator Robert Jaworski commended the University for its dedication to further studies on human performance and for providing basic and applied research opportunities on sports science during the inauguration of the Center for Research on Movement Science last Feb. 21 at the Thomas Aquinas Research Complex.