Ateneo ladies win 1st UAAP swim title; UST men break 19-yr drought

MANILA, Philippines – Ateneo narrowly won over perennial favorite University of the Philippines to bag the school’s first women’s championship in the swimming competitions of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Sunday at the Trace Aquatics Center in Los Baños, Laguna. University of Santo Tomas won in the men’s category. Ateneo took the ladies’ side via 216-213 score over UP. Ian Banzon, Bianca Uy, May Decena and Mia Crespo only placed third in the 4x100 relay but it was enough to propel them to the championship. The Lady Eagles secured the title after UP, which needed to finish first in the 4x100 to take the crown, could only muster second place. Luica Dacanay of UP was awarded the MVP, while teammate Jackie Junio was named Rookie of the Year. The UST women completed the top three overall. In the men’s division, UST snared the title for the first time in 19 years. La Salle and UP placed second and third respectively. Enchong Dee of La Salle won his second MVP award, while Timothy Vincent Yap brought home Rookie of the Year. Ateneo also sealed the junior boys’ crown, while UST the girls’ crown. Gabriel Castelo of Ateneo and Gian Berino of UST were awarded the boys’ MVP and Rookie of the Year, respectively. In the girls’ division, Ingrid Ilustre of UE and Maria Kristina Bartolome of UST were given MVP and Rookie of the Year. – GMANews.TV