UST crowned overall college, high school UAAP champion

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World tourney slots staked in full IRONMAN, 70.3 races

OVER a hundred berths in three IRONMAN World Championships will be up for grabs when the Century Tuna full IRONMAN and the Subic IRONMAN 70.3 races are held on June 11 at the country’s premier triathlon hub in Subic Bay. The organizing The IRONMAN Group/Sunrise Events, Inc. said 50 slots will be disputed for the IM world meet in Nice, France and another 25 seats will be staked in the Kona, Hawaii championship for the top finishers in the grueling 3.8km swim, 180km bike and 42km run (full IRONMAN) race. Thirty spots for the World Championship in Lahti, Finland, on the other hand, will be there for the taking in the equally challenging 1.9km swim, 90km bike and 21km run (IRONMAN 70.3) battle, paving the way for the most number of world tilt slots ever offered in local IRONMAN races.

“This only guarantees a spirited, furious duel in various age group categories for slots in these World Championships, the ultimate goal of each endurance racer,” said The IRONMAN Group/SEI general manager Princess Galura. The Nice, France world tilt will be staged on Sept. 10 while the Kona, Hawaii event is set on Oct. 14. The 70.3 championship in Finland will be held on Aug. 26-27 under the Nordic midnight sun.

Meanwhile, registration is ongoing. For listup, visit www.ironman.com/ ironmanphilippines or www.ironman.com/ im703-subicbay.

FOR the fifth straight season, University of Santo Tomas emerged as the overall champion in both the collegiate and high school divisions of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines during the closing ceremony of the league’s 85th season on Saturday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. divisions. We take great pride in our tradition of producing excellent and world-class student-athletes," said UST's representative to the Board of Managing Directors Gigi Kamus.

from Far Eastern University-Diliman were crowned the Athletes of the Year for the high school division.

Phillips (men's basketball), and Patrick King Cruz (men's individual poomsae),

UST amassed 336 points in the collegiate division and 217 points in the high school division, securing both titles comfortably.

This marks UST's sixth straight overall championship and 46th overall in the seniors' division. Additionally, the school achieved its seventh consecutive juniors title and 22nd overall.

In the collegiate division, the Growling Tigers triumphed in women's 3x3, men's and women's beach volleyball, men's table tennis, women's taekwondo, men's judo, men's tennis, women's athletics, and men's chess.

Meanwhile, the Tiger Cubs dominated the girls' table tennis, boys' taekwondo, girls' beach volleyball, boys' and girls' swimming, boys' and girls' judo, and girls' athletics tournaments.

"At UST, we are thrilled once again to have won the general championships in both the college and high school

World Cup veteran stays

MICHAEL Concio, Jr. and Mhage

Gerriahlou Sebastian downed their respective foes to stay unbeaten and on top after the fifth round of the 2023 Philippine National Juniors and Kiddies Chess Championships in Alicia, Isabela on Sunday.

Concio stopped unheralded Vince Duane Pascual on his tracks, while Sebastian turned back Ruelle Canino to jump to the top in their respective divisions with an unblemished five points each.

A World Cup veteran and an Asian rapid king, Concio, 18, has been living up to his top billing and, if he continues to sustain his magnificent form in the last three rounds, he should complete a successful title defense in this tournament backed by host Mayor and NCFP regional director Atty. Joel Amos Alejandro.

De La Salle University secured second place in the collegiate division with 279 points, while the University of the Philippines completed the top three with 260 points.

In the high school division, De La Salle-Zobel finished second with 139 points, followed by Far Eastern UniversityDiliman with 134 points.

The UAAP assigns 15 points for a championship, 12 points for second place, 10 points for third place, and continues decreasing down to one point for the eighth-place finisher.

Xiandi Chua from La Salle and Nickole Dela Cruz from UP were named Athletes of the Year in the collegiate division. Kent Jardin from Adamson and Johnrey Pasaol

Chua claimed six gold medals, one silver medal, and one bronze medal during the women's swimming championships, setting four league records. She also won gold in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games' 200m backstroke event, setting a new games record with a time of 2:13.20.

Dela Cruz led UP to the softball finals and was named the tournament MVP. She also received awards for Best Slugger, Best Hitter, and Most Runs Batted In. She was part of the RP Blu Girls pool for the 2023 Asian Women's Softball Championship.

Jardin guided Adamson High School to its first boys' athletics crown in 24 years, winning all seven of his events.

Pasaol powered FEU-D to the boys' basketball crown. He was selected for the Mythical Team in 5-on-5 basketball and won the MVP award in the 3x3 tournament.

The league also honored the 73 student-athletes who represented the country in the SEA Games.

Gold medalists Adamson's Jerom Lastimosa (men's basketball), La Salle's Chua (women's swimming), Michael

NU's Kurt Barbosa (men's kyorugi), UE's Mecca Cortizano (women's team obstacle race), UP's Erika Burgos (mixed relay aquathlon), and UST's Nicole Labayne and Aidaine Laxa (team female poomsae) were among the UAAP's representatives in Team Philippines. Each of the eight member schools also recognized their top athlete-scholars.

Celebrated were Adamson's Trisha Tubu (women's volleyball), Ateneo's Marjorie Manguiat (women's swimming), La Salle's Chua (women's swimming), FEU's Gio Pabualan (men's football), NU's Jessica Carcueva (women's lawn tennis), UE's Jewel Rafael (women's judo), UP's John Viron Ferrer (men's judo), and UST's Djulia Brion (women's swimming).

For the high school division, Adamson's Johnray Abayon (boys' basketball), Ateneo's Ivo Enot (boys' swimming), DLSZ's Juliana Yamson (girls' table tennis), FEU-D's Mhage Sebastian (girls' chess), NUNS' Alphecca Gonzales (girls' chess), and UE's Alexza Gatdula (girls' judo) were the athletescholars.

Two weeks into the blue-ribbon race, backed by are title partner Century Tuna, global premier partners Vinfast, Active, Gatorade, Hoka, Roka, Breitling Co., Fulgaz, Hyperice, Qatar Airways, Red Bull, Santini and Wahoo, the full IRONMAN PH has drawn over 500 bets, including 89 in the 45-49 age group division. Other age categories (male and female) are 18-24, 2529, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 50-54, 55-59, 6064, 65-69, 70-74 and 75-and-above.

A banner field is also expected int the Subic IRONMAN 70.3 race with the premier 40-44 age bracket luring over a hundred bets. Other age category titles to be disputed in both the male and female divisions are 18-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 5054, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74 and 75-andabove.

Spicing up the event is the IM 70.3 relay race, which has so far attracted over 50 teams.

While Czech Petr Lukosz, who topped the full IRONMAN PH last year, remains out of the early roster of entries, Filipina champion Ines Santiago is back, keen on her retaining the crown she claimed in wire-to-wire fashion.

Backing the events are Asia supplier partners Always Advancing, Ekoi and Nirvana; media partners Outside and Sportgraf.com; venue host Subic Bay, and Lightwater, NLEX/SCTEX, 2Go and Prudential Guarantee.

California Academy, Naga College dispute Girls’ Volley title

CALIFORNIA Academy and Naga

College Foundation pulled off thrilling upsets against perennial contenders National U-Nazareth School and Bacolod

Tay Tung to arrange a finals duel in the 2023 Shakey’s Girls Volleyball Invitational League Saturday at the San Andres Gym.

27 points, was not to be left behind in catching a big fish in Bacolod en route to the Last Dance of the 16-team GVIL also powered by Mikasa, Team Rebel Sports, Toby’s Sports, Genius Sports and SM Tickets.

Both squads essayed reverse sweeps over their fancied rivals as California stunned NU-NS, 23-25, 25-23, 25-22, 27-25, while Naga claimed the scalp of Bacolod Tay Tung High School, 11-25, 2523, 25-23, 25-23, in the gigantic Final Four clash among unbeaten teams.

California Academy and Naga will slug it out in the one-game championship next Saturday for all the marbles of the historic GVIL backed by Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, Potato Corner, Peri-Peri and R&B Tea with the City of Manila as government cooperation partner.

Casiey Dongallo (27) and Gelaica Gajero (24) combined for 51 points as the young Antipolo-based California spikers slayed the giant in no less than the reigning UAAP juniors champion.

Jenalyn Umayam chipped in 10 points while Kizzie Madriago orchestrated the show with 21 sets for California, which scored three straight wins against the Lady

The Dasmarinas resident took the crown last year after outlasting childhood buddy and fellow International Master Daniel Quizon via tiebreaker.

For the 18-year-old Sebastian, she may have overcome the biggest hurdle in her title bid with that clinical victory over the secondseeded Canino, a runner-up in this same tournament three years ago.

In kiddies action, Gllasea Ann Hilario and Daniella Bianca Cruz halved the point to continue to share the lead in the girls’ section with four points apiece while Phil Martin Casiguran and Jaycol Sodela, who hurdled Pat Ferdoff Macabulos and Justin Jed Ortillo, respectively, to stay at the helm in the boys’ bracket with 4.5 points each.

KAYA FC Iloilo finally captured the title that has eluded them the past six years.

In a fitting end to a remarkable season, Kaya trounced Stallion Laguna FC, 3-1, on Saturday for its first Philippines Football League crown at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.

Goals from Tamon Horikoshi, Jhan Melliza, and Jarvey Gayoso pushed Kaya’s total to 55 points on 18 wins, one draw, and three losses, edging Dynamic Herb Cebu, which blew its title hopes when it was held to a goalless draw by Stallion last Tuesday.

“I’m so happy with the championship,” said Kaya’s Japanese coach Yu Hoshide, who has made the country his

Players from the Naga College Foundation, celebrate after beating Bacolod Tay Tung High School. Bullpups highlighted by a stellar comeback in the fourth set from a 21-24 deficit.

“It’s a big win for us. It’s a close match and could have been anybody’s game but the girls stayed calm and in control. This

chessfest Kaya takes PFL crown in style

home in the last decade. “I really appreciated the support from everyone, the fans, supporters we hope they enjoyed this title celebration like we did.”

In a touching moment, Kaya’s players and general manager Paul Tolentino handed the PFL trophy to one of the club’s founders, Chris Hagedorn, at the height of the title celebration. This was a testament to the club’s longevity, stability and ability to build a squad from the ground up. Most of Kaya’s homegrown players have been with the club for more than five years.

Ceres won the first two editions of the PFL, before United City FC took the next two. It’s Kaya’s turn to come out on top in a

Shakey’s GVIL features the best of the best of the Philippines so we’re happy that we’re able to beat the best of UAAP. We’re very proud of that,” said coach Obet Vital. Naga, behind Arah Ellah Panique’s season where UCFC withdrew just after the year started. Horikoshi broke the deadlock in the 35th minute of the match, but Abraham Placito equalized in the 58th minute with a powerful headaer past Zach Banzon.

Kaya regained the lead in 65th minute with Melliza’s breakaway finish, before the subtitute Gayoso fired the ball past Patrick Deyto five minutes from time.

With 15 goals to his name and another Man of the Match performance against Stallion, Daizo Horikoshi was named the league’s top scorer and Golden Ball awardee while Banzon was adjudged as the Golden Glove awardee as the league’s best goalkeeper.

Panique drew coverage from Sheena Sarie and Nathasza Bombita, who provided 15 and 12 points, respectively, as Naga swung back with guns ablaze after a blowout 11-25 loss in the opening salvo.

“Naka-tsamba na naman. Naunahan kami pero hindi bumigay. Hanggang sa huli, laban talaga. Napakahirap. Puhunan namin dito ‘yung tapang. Sabi ko lang sa kanila, 'wag bibitaw'. Nung nakatabla na kami, bakit ngayon pa kayo bibitaw. Swerte na pumabor sa amin,” said Naga coach Parley Tupaz. Bienne Louise Bansil fired 20 points while Alexia Montoro had 22 for NU-NS and Bacolod, respectively, entering their bronze medal match also on Saturday.

All games of Shakey’s GVIL, in partnership with Athletic Events and Sports Management, Inc., (ACES), will be broadcasted live and on-demand through all social media platforms courtesy of Plus Network with CNN Philippines, Solar Sports and Tap Sports as TV partners.