Veneza Dayao ended University of the East’s agonizing wait, claiming the half-middleweight gold for the school’s first-ever UAAP women’s judo championship on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Dayao’s victory over Gabriele Mereria of Ateneo gave UE 30 points, which was just enough to end the stranglehold of University of Santo Tomas and University of the Philippines in the heavier classes.
UE finished two points ahead of former five-time champions UST Lady Judokas despite finishing with only one gold and one silver.
The silver that shone like a gold was won by Remianne Pangilinan, who eventually bagged the Rookie of the Year.
Meantime, University of Santo Tomas leaned on a rookie and a seasoned bet to edge out UP and claim its fourth straight men’s judo title.
The Golden Judokas garnered 18 points off two golds, a silver, and a bronze in the day’s events to slip past Day 1 leaders Fighting Maroons, for a 34-32 final count.
League debutant Gabriel Ligero’s win set the tone for the day, stopping heavy favorite David Gordon of De La Salle University in the quarterfinals of the featherweight class. He eventually topped rookie Miguel Gonzalvo in the final to claim an important gold for UST.
Ligero and his teammates went into the mats with no pressure despite the deficit going into the day.
Senior Eric Uy and sophomore Rafael De Leon finished 1-2 in the lightweight class to lead Ateneo de Manila University’s charge in the second day. They were in title contention but eventually finished third place with 23 points.
UP needed to take both the golds in the extra-lightweight and half-lightweight class in order to end a 12-year drought, but only Edward Figueroa emerged with a title.
The graduating Fighting Maroon took care of a Ryan Benavides, who went into the final tired after a marathon semifinal against UP’s Hyesung Lee, to bag the -66 kg gold.
Former Most Valuable Player Russel Mercado needed to fend of UP sophomore Paolo Cruz in the -60 kg final in the golden score round to seal UST’s fourth straight crown.
Ligero, with his heroics and dominant showing, claimed the Most Valuable Player award. Meanwhile, middleweight gold medalist and Fighting Maroon Jayvee Ferrer bagged the Rookie of the Year title.
