UST rules UAAP Season 79 judo

University of Santo Tomas completed another double championship in UAAP Season 79 judo action over the weekend at the Sports Pavilion inside the De La Salle-Zobel campus in Ayala Alabang, Muntinlupa.       

The Growling Tigers captured a league-best 12th men’s title with 49 points, while the Tigresses won their third straight women’s championship – and ninth overall – in runaway fashion by amassing 74 points.       

Season MVP Daryl John Mercado, who ruled the -55 kg. event, led the way for UST, as it dethroned Ateneo, which settled for second place with 36 points.       

Other gold medalists for the Tigers were veteran Al Rolan Llamas (-60 kg), Luis San Diego (-81 kg) and Diether Joshua Tablan (+100 kg). De La Salle wound up third with 29 points.       

UST reasserted its mastery in the distaff side with whooping 51-point margin over runner-up University of the East.

The Tigresses banked on tournament MVP Sueko Kinjho, who topped the -52 kg category, while Miam Salvador (-44 kg), Khrizzie Pabulayan (-48 kg) and Eunice Lucero (-63 kg) also won gold medals in the two-day event.       

University of the Philippines clinched the third place trophy with 20 points.       

Yiu Man Noah Lee of the Fighting Maroons and Blanca Louise Garcia of the Lady Maroons emerged as the Rookie of the Year winners in the men’s and women’s division.       

Other men’s gold medalists were De La Salle’s Edward Daniel Borja (-73 kg) and Keith Reyes (-100 kg), Ateneo’s Christian Clemente (-66 kg), and UP’s Carl Dave Aseneta (-90 kg).       

Also winning golds in the women’s side were UE’s Bianca Mae Estrella (-70 kg), UP’s Dylwynn Keith Gimena (-78 kg), La Salle’s Marjorie Anne Santiago (-57 kg) and Ateneo’s Seanne Cathleen Cheung (-78 kg).       

UST also swept the juniors division, winning the boys and girls titles behind MVPs Aaron Emmanuel Reyes and Krizza Joy Amisola.