ADAMSON University and University of Santo Tomas completed their respective bids for back-to-back championships in the boys’ and girls’ divisions at the close of the UAAP Season 85 High School Athletics Championships on Sunday at the PhilSports Track Oval in Pasig City.
The Baby Falcons put up a massive 503.5 points to capture the school’s first title of the season to go with the second-place finish in Boys’ table tennis, way ahead of runner-up University of Santo Tomas Junior Male Tracksters’ 390.
“Naging pressure sa ‘kin as head coach and sa mga kasama kong coaches (referring to influx of walk-ins). So, pinag-usapan namin kung ano ‘yung kailangan namin,” said Adamson head coach Ronald Corot.
“’Yung happiness hindi naman mawawala. Hindi mo man makita sa ‘kin physically pero deep inside, alam ko ‘yung saya ko na makuha namin ‘yung championship,” added the now-two time champion mentor.
On the other hand, the UST Junior Female Tracksters’ huge lead at the start of the day held off a late-gasp fight from the University of the East Junior Lady Warriors, 488 points to 444, and bagged the side’s second straight championship.
This is the school’s third title this season following the table tennis golden double.
“Masaya ko kasi maganda ‘yung support nung mga bagong recuits. Kumbaga kahit sinong ilagay mo diyan pwede. Kita mo naman nag-wa-1-2-3,” UST head coach Manny Calipes said.
With the departure of Kent Jardin, the Baby Falcons found its new top-class student-athlete Hussein Loraña, who succeeded the former as the league MVP.
The 19-year-old standout from Baguio City finished with six gold medals and a bronze medal, with the last title coming from the final day’s 4×400-meter relay.
Adamson closed out its rousing romp with the said relay gold as Loraña finished the job done by Janzen Dela Cruz, Matthew Angeles, and Emanuel Morales in record fashion with 3:22.09 — a new UAAP record.
UST took the silver with 3:33.43, while UE collected the bronze with 3:39.97.
The Junior Female Tracksters, meanwhile, bagged the gold in the girls’ side of the relay with 4:07.80 minutes with Ashley Tabad, Lea Ordinario, Iza Pangilinan, and Jamaica Salivan to put the exclamation point in the back-to-back plum.
UE leaned on eventual MVP Jyzel Gabriel to claim silver behind the UST quartet with 4:15.85, while Adamson completed the podium with 4:22.64.
Gabriel, won the 800, 1500, and 3000 meters titles, to go with that relay silver and the bronze in the 4×400-meter mixed relay.
Adamson’s Marjorie Ragudos was the Rookie of the Year on the girls’ side with the high jump gold and the silver in the 4×100-meter relay.