The grind never stops: A recap of Lasallian summer achievements

In what was perhaps the longest summer for La Salle and a few other schools, students were left to choose between engaging in some R&R by going on a vacation — or, for some, a “stay-cation” — and opting to be productive during this transition period. For a number of Lasallian athletes, the latter option was the way to go.

Nestea Beach Volleyball 2015

Some familiar faces from the hard court also took part in this year’s edition of the Nestea Beach Volleyball Competition. The annual competition took place in the island of Boracay from April 30 to May 2 with the University of Santo Tomas coming out on top.  DLSU veterans Cyd Demecillo and Kim Fajardo had a stellar performance in the semifinals against the South Western University Lady Cobras, ending the game in only two sets with a score of 23-21, 21-14. However, they were not able to defend La Salle’s 2014 title as they fell to the Lady Tigresses in three sets, 19-21, 21-17, 15-13.

Pan Asian Jiu Jitsu International Open

La Salle’s Jiu Jitsu team, team Defensive Tactics (DEFTAC-DLSU), sent four of its members to compete in the Pan Asian Jiu Jitsu International Open, which was held from May 15 to 17 in the SM Mall of Asia. Their team featured Allen De Leon, Arzel Mariano, Paolo Puno, and Vince Mangrobang, who competed in the Gi and No-Gi categories. Due to their overall performance in their specific categories and remarkable performances — such as De Leon’s victories in the elimination round, which gave earned him a bronze medal — DEFTAC-DLSU was able to clinch the overall championship for the Gi and No-Gi categories.

The SEA Games 2015

Back in June, the 28th SEA games were held in Singapore. Throughout that month, the different Southeast Asian countries competed in the various sports that were held in the designated venues around Marina bay. In the end of the month-long tournament, the Philippines ranked sixth overall with 29 gold, 36 silver, and 66 bronze medals. This wouldn’t have been possible if not for the effort that many of the Filipino athletes exerted in representing their country. Among them are some Lasallian athletes that represented both the country and their beloved school.

Among the sports that the Taft-based athletes competed in were Fencing, Taekwondo, Badminton, Track and Field, Basketball, and Triathlon. For Fencing, former Lasallian Fencer Gabriella Estimada and her team were able to earn a silver and bronze medal in the Women’s Epee and the Women’s team Foil, respectively. They succumbed to Vietnam in the finals of the Women’s Epee and lost to Singapore in the semifinals of the Women’s team Foil. In Taekwondo, Green Jin Raphael Mella and Lady Jin Rinna Babanto grabbed a podium finish in their respective divisions. Mella brought home the gold in the Men’s team Poomsae event with a final score of 7.850, while Babanto settled for silver in the Women’s individual Poomsae event with a score of 7.480. The Philippine badminton team featured former Green Shuttler Ronel Estanislao as he paired up with Philip Escueta to earn the bronze medal in the Men’s doubles division. Green Trackster Patrick Unso represented the Philippines in Track and Field and was able to nab the bronze medal by beating the previous national record for the 110 meter hurdles event with time of 14.12 seconds.

For basketball, Green Archer Prince Rivero and former Green Archers Norbert Torres and Almond Vosotros had significant roles in the Gilas Cadets’ gold medal run. With the amount of effort that the team exerted, they were able to once again reign as champions for this year’s SEA Games despite the emergence of other teams. Last but not the least, former DLSU Green Tanker Nikko Huelgas finished first in the triathlon event with a time of 2:04:32, earning one of the first gold medals for the Philippines in the biennial meet.

2015 G-League National Swimming Championships

The Green-and-White was well represented in the sixth edition of the G-League Championships as members of the DLSU Green Tankers held their own among 40 other teams who competed in the three-day event.  Green Tankers Sage Yabut, Miggy Narciso, and Vince Raymundo participated in the event that took place at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex last July 16 to 19.

It was a busy summer for the Lasallian athletes as they continued to keep their competitive spirit up by participating in various tournaments throughout the break. Based on their stellar performances, they are making the necessary preparations in order to become formidable opponents in their upcoming tournaments, most especially for UAAP Season 78.