UAAP: Jins raring to take to the mats in Season 78

After months of waiting, the DLSU Jins are now ready to bring the Animo spirit back to the mats as they make their final preparations for this year’s UAAP Season 78 Taekwondo Championship.

Ups and downs

Following a third place finish during Season 76, the DLSU Lady Jins made huge strides in their development and finished second in last year’s tournament behind the UP Lady Maroons. Last season, the Lady Jins won four out of six games as they came ahead of the UST Tigresses, a known powerhouse in UAAP Taekwondo for years. Aside from the first runner-up placing, Lady Jin Camille Bonje won Rookie of the Year for her tenacious effort and huge contributions to the team’s success.

The same could not be said for the Green Jins however, as they succumbed to a fourth place finish in Season 77 after winning their fourth championship in the previous edition of the tournament. They managed to win three games as they balanced a .500 record yet the UST Growling Tigers clinched the championship.

Amid all the struggles both the Green Jins and Lady Jins went through, DLSU’s Poomsae team bounced back from their last place finish in Season 76 to place second to UP. Although both teams finished with two golds, one silver, and one bronze, the Diliman-based squad clinched the championship due to their superior quotient.

“Almost! Almost nang nag-champion! Konting points lang yung nilamang ng UP,” said head coach Roberto Cruz as he recalled last season’s poomsae tournament.

Lady Jin Rinna Babanto brought home one gold and one silver after dominating the women’s individual and partnering with Green Jin Raphael Mella to clinch second place in the mixed pair’s match. In addition, Mella also snatched the bronze in the men’s individual and nabbed another gold medal in the men’s team meet, where he teamed up with Sidney Lopez and Justin Andal to round out DLSU’s medal haul.

Nowhere to go but up

Although La Salle’s taekwondo team failed to win any championships in last season’s tourney, Cruz is confident that his squad is on its way to a huge success for this coming season. With the Lady Jins and the poomsae team improving heavily from last year, and prized rookies coming in for both the men’s and women’s divisions, Cruz believes that they might have a shot at winning it all for Season 78.

“Number one is yung recruitment natin, madaming nakapasok this year na magagaling so mas maganda yung magiging team natin for this year,” said Cruz.

One of those prized rookies Cruz mentioned is Shanelle Romuar, who represented the country in the junior national team. She will be suiting up for the Lady Jins and is expected to make a big impact on Season 78. Cruz also revealed another addition to the team, Kyle Arsenal, who won a gold medal during the Palarong Pambansa.

The other facets that the head coach pondered on are strength and conditioning, factors that they might have lacked last season. Cruz also mentioned that he might bring up the tempo during training as this would be vital for the coming tournament.

“Para sa akin siguro kailangan din natin ng hirap especially during training, para pag dating ng competition may sarap,” he concluded.