University of the East retained the men’s championship, while teenage sensation Maxine Esteban powered Ateneo in winning its first women’s crown in 12 years as the UAAP Season 81 fencing tournament came to a close Sunday at the Victoria Sports Tower in Quezon City.
The team foil of CJ Concepcion, JC Concepcion, Sammuel Tranquilan and Xavier Arabaca won the gold on the final day of the competition as the Red Warriors extended their reign to a seventh straight year.
The Recto-based fencers have already annexed the crown Saturday, as the team saber of CJ Concepcion, JC Concepcion, Tranquilan and Jinro Villanueva emerged triumphant.
UE, which also captured three silver medals, also clinched a league-best 13th title overall.
The Warriors earlier swept the individual events, as CJ Concepcion nabbed the saber gold, while Tranquilan topped the epee and foil events.
For the second straight season, Tranquilan was named Most Valuable Player.
Esteban’s gold medal triumphs in the individual foil and saber events, as well as the Lady Eagles’ victory in the team foil brought the Katipunan-based fencers back on top of the women’s division.
Esteban captured the Rookie-MVP award as Ateneo bagged its second title overall, and the first since 2006 behind sisters Faye and Veeg Garcia. It also ended UE’s amazing 11-year run in the throne.
University of Santo Tomas’ lady fencers finished second place with two golds courtesy of Marielle Peralta in the individual epee, and the team foil of Peralta, Andrea Bernal, Pauline Bernarte and Mira Dorimon. The Tigresses also bagged a silver and two bronzes.
The Lady Warriors finally won a gold in the fourth day, as Carla Arreza, Nicole Cortey, Joy Javinar and Marry Jae Lonzaga topped the team saber category. UE also went home with three silvers and three bronzes to settle for third.
De La Salle’s gold-medal quest in men’s team epee Saturday was enough to claim second place to go with a silver and three bronzes, while Ateneo’s one-silver, five-bronze haul sealed third spot.
Green Fencer Darryl Lumahan was named the top rookie.
In the juniors’ division, UE achieved another golden double with Samantha Catantan and Prince John Francis Felipe claiming the season MVP awards in the girls and boys division once more.
The Junior Warriors achieved an “eight-peat” in the girls’ division, while the boys streaked to their ninth straight championship. UST’s Patricia Daradar was the girls’ Rookie of the Year winner.