UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas completed an event sweep in the UAAP Season 88 Judo Championships, delivering a dominant performance in the men’s division and a strong finish in the women’s side on Sunday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Malate, Manila.

The España-based institution’s judo squads duplicated the feat they achieved in Season 79 (2016–2017), while also following the same winning formula recently shown by its beach volleyball teams just a few months ago.

The collegiate squads also built on the high school division’s sweep of titles earlier in the day, with each team writing its own redemption story.

Carrying a comfortable 17-point cushion after Day 1 over nearest challenger De La Salle University Green Judokas, the Tiger Judokas stepped on the gas on Day 2, adding 24 more points behind two golds, three silvers, and one bronze, including two 1–2 finishes.

Janry Pamor outlasted teammate Juan Miguel Evangelista in the under-60 kg final to clinch the gold, while Randy Ferrera defeated eventual Rookie of the Year Aeon Lance Kim in the under-73 kg title bout.

Pamor secured the win via arm lock barely two minutes into the match against Evangelista, while Ferrera finished Kim with two successive two-handed throws, the second resulting in an ippon just past the one-minute mark.

“Bittersweet, kasi, although nanalo, may issue na dapat hindi nangyari. Pero siyempre very proud pa rin ako kasi ang trabaho lang naman ng coach ay i-guide lang sila, pero nasa kanila pa rin ‘yung hirap, ‘yung sakripisyo. Sila rin naman ‘yung deserving na makakuha nung championship,” said long-time men’s coach Steve Esteban.

Kyan Ballecer, who won the under-90 kg gold on Saturday, was named men’s MVP.

“It’s quite overwhelming, kasi we never expected na mananalo po. We prayed for it, we worked for it, pero hindi namin talaga expected. Kasi meron pa nga pong laban ‘yung UP and other schools pero we secured our championship,” said the third-year Tourism major.

(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team

On the women’s side, Margaret Fajardo and Iahna Jaboneta handled their respective opponents from the University of the Philippines to fend off their traditional rivals and secure UST’s first title since Season 81 (2018).

Fajardo won the lone match in the under-78 kg division over Leah Margaret Ladia with an ippon via o-goshi after just 31 seconds, while Jaboneta forced a submission against eventual Rookie of the Year Rovy Mae Ujano after nearly two minutes in their final bout.

Mariah Lua added another gold in the under-70 kg via ippon from a morote against Adamson University’s Myles Casañas.

“Kahit sabihin nang laos na salita, pero thank you, Lord, talaga, kasi ang tagal namin ‘tong hinintay. Actually, dapat ‘di ba ‘yung UAAP first semester pa, so nanghintay kami ng one-and-a-half year. So, one-and-a-half year kaming nagte-training, one-and-a-half year kaming nagbi-build, and one-and-a-half year din kaming naputol. Dati ‘yung lineup namin mahaba ‘yung pila, pero naging 15 na lang; naubos ‘yung lineup namin kasi ‘yung iba dahil sa eligibility, personal problems, so sobrang hirap pero sobrang sarap,” said Lady Judokas’ head coach Gerard Arce.

Christine Quiniones, who captured the under-44 kg gold, was named the division’s top student-athlete and expressed pride in finally ending the team’s four-year title drought.

“Siyempre, masaya, kasi po mahaba rin po ang naging preparation po namin. So, happy lang na naibalik na namin ‘yung title sa UST. Marami ring tournaments na sinalihan po kami, and training rin po talaga,” the third-year Fitness and Sports Management major shared.

“Tiwala lang po talaga sa sarili and tiwala lang rin po kay coach para ma-pull off namin ‘tong championship,” she added.

The UP Fighting Maroons mounted a rally in both the men’s and women’s divisions but ultimately finished as runners-up behind the Tiger and Lady Judokas’ golden double.

Seniors Lee Hyejun and returning Paolo Cruz delivered gold medals for the men’s side in the under-55 kg and under-66 kg divisions, respectively, while Joelle Ting outlasted her rookie sparring partner Gabrielle Talaue to claim the under-63 kg title.

Lee edged Justin Bagallon with a waza-ari in the final seven seconds via a sumi gaeshi, while Cruz defeated Ateneo’s John Falcon Dylim III with a late yuko via okuri ashi barai with 17 seconds remaining.

Ting won over Talaue with an early yuko via tani otoshi, separating the two UP judokas.

The Fighting Maroons finished a distant second in the men’s division with 18 points, while the women’s team narrowly fell short of dislodging UST with 25.

Ateneo de Manila University placed third with 14 points, highlighted by Dylim’s silver and Eric Rodriguez’s bronze in the under-55 kg division, finishing just one point ahead of De La Salle University Green Judokas’ 13 points.

University of the East’s reign ended with a third-place finish in the women’s division, led by the under-73 kg gold of national team standout Joemari-Heart Rafael.

After losing the boys’ title and failing to reclaim the girls’ crown in December 2024, the Junior Tiger and Junior Lady Judokas completed their redemption in contrasting fashion.

(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team

After three seasons of heartbreak, the Junior Lady Judokas finally climbed back to the top, emerging victorious in a tight battle with former champions University of the East Junior Lady Warriors on the second and final day.

Meanwhile, the Junior Tiger Judokas held off a spirited rally from the Ateneo Blue Eagles en route to a narrow 40–32 victory.

“Ang sinabi ko lang is bounce back, siyempre, mag-regroup ‘yung team. Kinausap ko kasi either we make it or break it ulit ngayon, di ba? Kaya kinailangan naming ibuhos lahat; all out. All out kasi ga-graduate na sila, gusto nilang maibalik,” said head coach Paul De Vera of the team’s resolve after a heartbreaking Season 87.

In nearly all four remaining weight divisions, it was a battle between UST and reigning champion UE, with the España-based squad capitalizing to clinch the championship with a 54–32 advantage.

“Sa babae, nabawi na namin. Natanggal na namin ‘yung second day sumpa namin. Pero lahat sila nag-stand out, lahat sila, team effort talaga,” De Vera said.

Stefanny Talob defeated UE’s Gabrielle Dizon in the under-44 kg final to complete a sweep and secure the gold, while teammate Mikeighia De Vera earlier beat Dizon to support the 1–2 finish.

Eventual MVP Zkeana Valdez delivered in the under-57 kg division, stopping UE’s Ezyl Diaz to clinch the title and seal UST’s comeback.

“Noong first year ko po sa team, hindi po namin nakuha ‘yung championship. Pero now, nakuha na naman siya, hindi ko ma-explain kung gaano ako kasaya. Kasi kahit po parang ang hirap ng training, nandito kami ngayon as champions,” said the 18-year-old standout.

Sophia Novino and Rhain De la Cruz completed a 1–2 finish in the under-48 kg division for the Junior Lady Warriors, while last year’s MVP Jhenica Serrano still claimed the under-52 kg crown.

Zeus Babanto and Ethan Dalmacio secured championship-clinching golds against their Blue Eagle counterparts, erasing the disappointment of last season’s silver-medal finish behind the Junior Warriors.

Babanto defeated Datu Alejandro Mamaril in the under-90 kg final, while Dalmacio successfully defended his title against Season 86 champion Alessandro Nieto in the over-100 kg division.

(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team

Zachary Cabrera, who won the under-66 kg gold on Saturday, was named boys’ MVP, reflecting on the team’s rebuild after last year’s setback.

“Nabuo po ‘yang team; na-build po kami; sinasabayan namin ang isa’t isa; wala pong iwanan. Kahit ‘yung training namin mahirap; ‘yung lahat ng hard training po hindi po namin dinaya, pinaghirapan po talaga namin lahat,” said the De La Salle Araneta product.

Now that the crowns are back in España, De Vera hopes to keep them there despite the expected exodus of key judokas.

“Same pa rin, training pa rin, and marami pa naman kaming young guns na papalit. Kakayanin namin; step by step lang ‘yan,” said the champion mentor.

Ateneo also rose in the standings as Alphonso Academia pulled off a shock win over UST’s Joermil Caguicla in the under-81 kg gold medal match.

Blue Eagle Eoin Jamel Sarapuddin dominated the under-100 kg division, sweeping all four of his bouts to secure the gold.

Paolo Dolor salvaged a bronze in the under-90 kg division, giving the Junior Red Warriors something to celebrate in a third-place finish with 16 points.

De La Salle Zobel’s Miguel Tecson, a bronze medalist in the under-55 kg division, was named boys’ Rookie of the Year.

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