DE LA SALLE ended University of Santo Tomas’s (UST) reign by winning its first poomsae crown in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 79 taekwondo tournament on Friday at the Blue Eagle Gym.
The Green Archers claimed the crown that eluded in the first three editions by hauling two gold, two silver and one bronze medals.
“In the very beginning, we always have the problem with the number of players. We are fortunate that this season, we are able to get quality players,” De La Salle Coach JP Sabido said.
Also winning two gold medals, the Tigresses could only settle for second place as the España-based squad could only muster two bronze medals to fall short on their bid for a third title.
Rinna Babanto opened De La Salle’s onslaught by winning the gold in the women’s individual with a score of 8.43, defeating Far Eastern University’s Charisse Jasmin (8.06) and University of the Philippines’S Patricia Jubelag (7.96).
The Green Archers’ other gold came from the mixed pair of Raphael Mella and Angelica Gaw (8.66), that beat the Fighting Maroons’ Dustin Mella and Janna Oliva (8.59) and Growling Tigers’ Jerel Dalida and Jocel Ninobla (8.53).
Babanto, Gaw and Hernandez captured the silver medal for De La Salle in the women’s team event with a score of 8.54. Mella, Mcavyngr Alob and Benjamin Sembrano also bagged the silver in the men’s team category with 8.41.
Alob gave the Archers the lone bronze in the men’s individual with 8.27.