Babanto gets fitting exit as La Salle reclaims UAAP poomsae title
De La Salle’s Rinna Babanto had the most spectacular of exits in her collegiate career after leading the Green Jins to theUAAP Season 81 poomsae title Tuesday at Blue Eagle Gym.
The championship is the second in three years for the Green Jins who had Babanto leading them throughout the competition.
Babanto, a former world champion, also reaped gold medals in the individual female and mixed pair events.
The graduating Green Jin scored 8.180 to beat fellow Asian Games bronze medallists Nikki Oliva (8.100) of University of the Philippines and Juvenile Faye Crisostomo (7.900) of Far Eastern University.
Babanto then teamted up with Patrick Perez for the mixed pairs gold scoring 8.235 while University of Santo Tomas’ Jerel Dalida and Cyrinne Abenir (8.200) took the silver and UP’s Jayboy Buenavista and Pat Jubelag (8.015) settled for the bronze.
Perez then completed De La Salle’s sweep of the individual events after taking the gold in the gold in the men’s division with 8.305 beating out UST’s Adrian Ang (8.150) who took the silver and National University’s Kier Macalino (8.035) who grabbed the bronze.
Babento was named the first MVP of the poomsae tournament while Perez received Rookie of the Year.
“I didn’t expect this really,” said Babanto, who added that La Salle’s poomsae program is in good hands as he leaves behind coach JP Sabido and Perez, in Filipino.
“He’s a very passionate and hardworking person, he really wants to contribute to the team,” said Babanto of Perez. “I believe in him a hundred percent in the next competition. I expect more medals.”
The Tiger Jins, who were the champions coming into the season, topped the male team event and finished with a 1-3-0 (gold-silver-bronze) medal haul to finish as the first runners-up while UP, which topped the female team category, sat at third with a 1-1-2 haul.
UST retained its throne in the high school division besting second place University of the East and third place National University.
