University of the Philippines stamped its class and dominated the second and final day of the UAAP Season 86 Judo championships to end a 16-year-long title drought Friday at the Marikina Sports Complex.
The fifth UAAP title for the squad in men’s judo was the second for the university this season after regaining the women’s swimming tiara last Sunday.
It was no less than a World Grappling champion in Fierre Afan who took the spotlight for the Fighting Maroons in the day, taking the gold in the lightweight (under 73 kg) class against his returning teammate Edward Figueroa.
Such brilliance saw the freshman out of University of Santo Tomas High School bag the Rookie of the Year award.
In all, UP finished with 48 points on five gold, three silver and four bronze medals followed by UST with 30 points (2-4-4), La Salle 14 (1-1-4) and Ateneo 4 (0-0-4).
Two more golds in the featherweight (under 55 kg) division ˗with captain Hyejun Lee keeping the title in Diliman — and the extra-lightweight (under 60 kg) division — with national athlete Sean Levyn Panganiban returning from injury with the plum — all but sealed the deal for UP, with both victories coming at the expense of closest pursuer UST.
The Fighting Maroons added the said titles to that of Zarchie Garay in the middleweight (under 90 kg) class and to that of Jayvee Ferer in the half-middleweight (under 81 kg) division on the first day for a total of five golds along with three silvers and four bronzes.
Ferrer, a pride of Pulilan, Bulacan, annexed the Most Valuable Player award.
.
