THEY may come from rival schools, but for De La Salle’s table-tennis star Ian Lariba and Ateneo’s swimming star Jessie Khing Lacuna, they set this aside their schools’ colors when flag and country is at stake.
“There’s no such thing as rivalry when it comes to being ONE for the country. Good to see you as well “Khing” of UAAP swimming, @jessielacuna00 🙂 Thank you to UAAP for this recognition. We greatly appreciate it!#AteneanLasallianOlympians, ” Lariba said on her Instagram post.
Lariba and Lacuna were among the student-athletes who were recognized for their participation in international competitions this year in a ceremony held on Wednesday before Game Two of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 79 men’s basketball finals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The country’s flag bearer in the Rio Olympics in August, Lariba also competed in the 18th Asean University Games (AUG) in Singapore, where the Cagayan de Oro lass captured a silver medal in women’s singles and settled for bronze medals the doubles and team.
Lacuna may have missed the AUG but the pride of Bulacan made it up by competing in his second straight Olympics.
The two were among the UAAP Season 78 co-Athlete of the Year, which included Ateneo volleybelle Alyssa Valdez and Adamson University softball standout Queeny Sabobo.
The other UAAP athletes in the AUG were also feted. In the Singapore edition, the Filipinos won three gold medals in athletics and fencing.
National University (NU), a three-time UAAP women’s basketball titlist, bagged a silver medal, while the highly popular Ateneo’s women and men’s volleyball teams clinched bronze medals.
The recognition coincided with the basketball awarding ceremony, where De La Salle’s Ben Mbala and NU’s Afril Bernardino led the winners, capturing the season Most Valuable Player honors.