The delegation from the Philippines parades during the opening ceremony of the 32nd Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) at the Morodok Techo National Stadium in Phnom Penh on May 5, 2023. (Photo by MOHD RASFAN / AFP)
MANILA, Philippines — The UAAP will honor 73 student-athletes who represented the Philippines in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia when it formally closes Season 85 on Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Adamson guard Jerom Lastimosa and La Salle rising star Michael Phillips will be among the student-athletes who will be recognized in the closing ceremony after bringing back the gold to Gilas Pilipinas.
The Philippines earned 58 golds — surpassing its 52-gold haul in Hanoi last year — and copped 85 silver and 117 bronze medals in this year’s biennial meet.
De La Salle swimmer Xiandi Chua will also be honored after winning gold in the SEA Games, where she set a new regional record in the women’s 200-meter backstroke with a time of 2:13.20.
National University taekwondo jin Kurt Barbosa, the men’s MVP and a former Olympian, earned his third consecutive gold after dominating the men’s -54kg division, while University of Santo Tomas poomsae exponents Maria Nicole Labayne and Aidalane Laxa were triumphant in the recognized team female category.
Also sharing her gold with the UAAP is Mecca Cortizano, a member of University of the East athletics team, after she topped the obstacle course racing women’s team relay as well as Erika Burgos of the University of the Philippines women’s swimming team after ruling the mixed relay aquathlon.
Besides the student-athletes who represented the country in the SEA Games, the UAAP will also crown the Athlete of the Year in Team and Individual Sports in the high school and college divisions and the general champions in both divisions.
The first closing ceremony in this pandemic era will also honor the top high school and collegiate athlete scholars from the eight member schools.
Adamson will also pass the hosting rights to UE for Season 86 later this year.
The street dance competition will kick off the closing ceremony at 2 p.m. with La Salle Dance Company-Street, the most recent champions in 2019, performing third. NU Dance Company will be the first in the order, followed by FEU Street Alliance. UST-Prime will be fourth in line, followed by the Company of Ateneo Dancers, UP Streetdance Club, and Adamson University Dance Company-Street.
In the high school division, UST-Galvanize will defend its title against Adamson University Dance Company-Street SHS and FEU-X.