ALTHOUGH THE Ateneo’s sports teams are typically busy preparing for the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) season, some programs have taken it upon themselves to not only participate in, but to organize, their own independent sporting events.

However, while these events are fundraisers by nature, their purposes have evolved beyond that, with the Ateneo Aquathlon and Hajime Judo tournament being two such hallmark events that have been being organized for years by the Fast Ateneo Swimming Team (FAST) and the Ateneo Judo Association (AJA), respectively.

Surf and turf

Whether it be current athletes who want to get in shape for a competition, working adults who do not usually have time to get a good burn in, or kids who simply want to have fun—everyone is welcome to join the Ateneo Aquathlon.

But what separates the aquathlon from the typical fun run is that it happens both on land and in water; not only do participants spend time running around a pre-set course, they also have to swim a specific number of meters to complete the event. It all starts at the Loyola Schools Swimming Pool and eventually transitions to around the Loyola campus. Runners are timed and winners are then awarded prizes from the various sponsors that support the event.

With such a wide target market, the event offers four different packages that interested parties can participate in. Among the packages include the Classic (600m swim and 5K run), Lite (400m swim and 3K run), Kids (400m swim and 3K run), and Relay (600m swim and 5K run), all fine-tuned to the varying capabilities and skill levels of each participant.

One of the benefits that the Aquathlon provides is to raise capital for the Swimming team’s gear and its various needs. Such expenses include uniforms during the UAAP, equipment for training, and various team-building events. FAST Program Head Archie Lim admits that the Ateneo administration is mostly supportive of the team’s needs. However, the extra revenue from this event has helped the team easily purchase high-quality equipment that has helped them improve their performance considerably.

Race Director and Men’s Swimming Team Captain Axel Ngui thinks that although this is an important factor, there lies a greater purpose in the organization of this event. Through the fundraiser, he hopes to encourage those who are new to both swimming and running to join similar events in the future.

“The main goal of the Aquathlon is to create an organized swim and run event for beginners or newbies where they can be introduced to multisport events,” Ngui says.

Along with Ngui, Women’s Swimming Team Captain Basille Uy also played an equally important role during the planning process as the event’s registration committee head and overall race director.

“We made sure not only to improve the previous lapses, but also expand other possibilities to give the participants the best Ateneo Aquathlon experience,” Uy says.

Lim agrees with both his team captains, stating that, above all, the exposure of these sports is the biggest benefit of the event, as it brings increased awareness of the benefits of exercise, specifically of swimming and running. In addition to this, he also thinks that the organization of such a project has helped developed the leadership abilities of his wards.

“We have seen and heard our members tell story of how they were able to use things they have learned and gained from the activity in their jobs and after university life,” he says.

With the conclusion of the Aquathlon’s ninth iteration last March 6, 2016, Uy feels that the event has only gotten better. This year, the event has experienced a decrease in the number of complaints from the event’s participants. Along with a constant inflow of eager runners, these signs show that there is nowhere to go but up for the Ateneo Aquathlon.

Judokas united

AJA is another Ateneo sports program that organizes its own annual sporting event. The Hajime Judo tournament is a yearly gathering of judokas from all around the world who come to Katipunan to exhibit their expertise in the Japanese martial art. Inaugurated in 1995, the 2016 edition of Hajime was held last April 17 at the Blue Eagle Gym in the Ateneo de Manila University.

Similar to the Aquathlon, Hajime is open to people of all ages who want to step onto the mats and compete, all while meeting the many other judo practitioners in attendance. According to Program Director Ali Sulit, the primary goal of Hajime is to “provide competition exposure to Ateneo judokas.”

The tournaments boast four different age divisions, namely: Kids, cadets, juniors, and seniors open. Competitors range from current and former judokas from UAAP institutions, as well as from other schools, regions and countries.

“Hajime gets around 200 to 300 competitors [yearly], a handful of which are from neighboring Southeast Asian countries,” says Sulit.

The tournament follows a knockout system, with medals being awarded to the top competitors of each division. Action-packed bouts filled to the brim with throws, sweeps, and submissions are ever present in the tournament, adding to the excitement. The individual prizes are then awarded at the end of the day, with recipients claiming their moment atop the podium.

The funds raised by AJA during their event are primarily used on equipment and improving their facilities. Specifically, the money they make from Hajime this year will go into improving the overall quality of the dojo where they train, which has seen much wear and tear over the years. The investment in fresh Judo mats for their dojo situated within the Blue Eagle Gym will only lead to higher quality training sessions for the team.

But despite the monetary benefits that AJA will receive from the event, Hajime has also been able to annually bring Judokas of all ages together for one day for the past 20 years.

Thus, although the Ateneo Aquathlon and Hajime Judo tournament were meant as fundraisers, both events have become much more than that. They are means to bring the multitude of athletes of their sports together, fostering a sense of community, and propelling the name of their sport forward.