Taking the dynasty forward
By Apa D. Aquino
THOUGH THE waves of past legends such as Jessie Lacuna, Aldo Batungbacal, and Axel Ngui have long dissipated from collegiate waters, the five-year championship legacy they left behind still remains. In a season full of turnover, the next generation of Ateneo Men’s Swimming is on a mission to protect the dynasty.
Aki Cariño
Elite backstroke specialist Team Captain Aki Cariño will be charged not only with bringing in the talent to win, but also with schooling an exciting crop of young swimmers about the FAST traditions that have propelled the team to success.
Ianiko Limfilipino
Last season’s prized rookie and distinguished freestyle and medley powerhouse now has another year of training and experience under his belt. Look for Limfilipino to emerge as one of the team’s upcoming stars whose strong performances will anchor the team’s title bid.
Rian Tirol
Current University Athletic Association of the Philippines Juniors 200m Breaststroke record holder and 2019 Southeast Asian Games candidate Rian Tirol is one of the team’s most vaunted rookies this season. Hailing from the Ateneo Senior High School, Tirol is no stranger to FAST and is primed not just to help fill the void, but to stake his claim amongst a long list of FAST icons as well.
Undefeated Pauline Lopez bows out of Season 82
By Jeremy L. Chua
For the past three years, Pauline Lopez has bannered the Ateneo Women’s Taekwondo team and powered their rise as a perennial contender for the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) crown. Since winning Rookie of the Year honors in Season 79, she has stamped her dominance on the playing field, leading their Silver medal run in Season 80 and boasting a personal undefeated win-loss record in her collegiate career thus far.
However, uncertainty shrouds the Lady Jins after Lopez decided to sit out Season 82. Lopez competed in the Asian Open in Vietnam last August 15 and is set to train in Korea from October 20 to October 30 for the 2019 Southeast Asian Games in December. These international bouts also serve as a foundation for her bid to represent the Philippines in the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. Without Lopez’s powerhouse presence on the Lady Jins’ roster this UAAP season, their hopes for a podium finish will hinge on their response as a unit.
New rookies boost the Blue Babble Battalion lifters
By Gio Guinto
FOLLOWING THE departure of several veteran Blue Babble Battalion lifters, the team welcomes six rookies to retool their eleven-man lineup. After finishing 7th in last year’s UAAP Cheerdance Competition, Babble has its sights set on climbing up the standings. Among their clutch of debutants this Season 82, two notable freshmen are expected to hit the ground running.
John Joseph A. Herrera
Herrera, a recruit from Taguig Science High School, was a member of his school’s cheerleading team since the seventh grade. Despite his age, Herrera is expected to inject experience into the squad after his first-place finish in the 2018 Japan Open Cheerleading Championship in Tokyo.
Chris John A. Pagulayan
Armed with a background in gymnastics, Pagulayan’s expertise on the mats has earned him a full athletic scholarship alongside Herrera. Pagulayan, a fellow Taguig Science High School alumnus, will be key in aiding the lifters’ stunts and tumblings.
Aside from the promise shown by these rookies, Babble Lifters Team Captain Shawn Nagrampa points to a deeper sense of family and trust to drive success. “A lot of the rookies in the team feel more involved. Something that makes this team different is that we’re a united front. We’re in this together,” says Nagrampa.
