Sports

Settled on the throne

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Published April 4, 2023 at 3:54 pm
Photo by Jacob Yap

DESPITE BEING deprived of play on the collegiate stage for over two years, the Ateneo Women’s Badminton (AWBT) and FAST Ateneo Men’s Swimming (FAST) teams were successful in defending their championship titles for consecutive seasons. Bearing great expectations on their shoulders, the Blue Eagles managed to defy odds and establish their own dynasties in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) during Season 85.

Weathering the storm

Both of these teams witnessed an extended layover due to lockdown restrictions, leading to their non-inclusion in the UAAP’s 84th Season last June 2022. As a result, both teams’ title defense hopes were put on hold for a few more months.

However, both squads weathered through multiple hurdles in order to maintain their skills in the absence of formal competitions and prepare for their inevitable return. For instance, the AWBT returned to collegiate-level competition in the Philippine Badminton Association-Smash Intercollegiate preseason tournament. Meanwhile, the Men’s Swimming Team competed outside Ateneo in their own club tournaments.

Aside from training under their independent club team, the Harpoons, FAST Team Captain Rian Marco Tirol noted the consistency of their training during the pandemic as key to maintaining their skill. “Our coach still gave us workouts to do. The good thing there is tuloy-tuloy pa rin ‘yung training (there is continuous training), so it never stopped per se,” he said.

As for Women’s Badminton Team Captain Mika De Guzman, being part of the national team greatly benefited her skillset. “I was able to still train and compete internationally despite the pandemic. For the rest [of my team], they still trained through Zoom. Though it was tough, I believe the struggles and sacrifices were all worth it,” she said. 

Sustaining the legacy

With six years of championship pedigree behind them, the Men’s Swimming Team were under immense pressure to outlast the competition for their seventh consecutive title.

The early days of the FAST Men’s Team’s dynasty were characterized by pure dominance, which they used to sweep the competition. Tirol even recalls that he idolized the collegiate team back when he was still in Ateneo Senior High School.

Pumasok ako sa [high school] team na fourth championship pa lang [ang FAST]. Naabutan ko sina Jessie Lacuna, si Aldo Batungbacal, so these were the guys I was looking up to when I was getting into the UAAP experience. Sila ‘yung mga idol ko,” the captain shared.

(I entered the team during their fourth championship, when I was in Grade 11. I got to see Jessie Lacuna and Aldo Batungbacal, so these were the guys I was looking up to when  I was getting into the UAAP experience. So they were my idols.)

Tirol recognized that such success only comes through hard work. Thus, he realized that FAST’s culture of dedication and perseverance were key factors in the development of their team. These characteristics then played a major role in their sixth-straight title back in 2019, when the team had to defend the title without Lacuna and Batungbacal.

Entering Season 85, FAST faced immense pressure to sustain their legacy in spite of all the hurdles they faced during the pandemic. Tirol adds that he felt everyone was out and gunning for the Blue Eagles, being six-peat champions. “I think that it showed the character and spirit of the team that we’re able to perform even under pressure. It showed in training, the guys were there not only to participate, but to compete, and ultimately, they were there to win,” he said.

Upon winning the championship in Season 85, it was clear that Ateneo’s dynasty was here to stay. Apart from clinching the gold, Joaquin Santos was named Season 85’s Most Valuable Player (MVP), while Joshua Del Rio was awarded the Rookie of the Year title—all showing promise for the continued success of the FAST Swimming Team.

As a fourth-year student, Tirol shared his own thoughts on what their latest championship meant to him. “I’m at the endpoint of my college UAAP experience. I’m very honored and at the same time very privileged that I didn’t just get to compete in the UAAP, but also to compete representing the Ateneo. There’s a lot of prestige bearing that name,” he said.

Establishing supremacy

Coming off back-to-back championships in Seasons 81 and 82, the Women’s Badminton Team sought to establish their dominance as the premier squad in the UAAP and chase their third title.

Team Captain Mika De Guzman shared that the team thrived off the pressure and used it to fuel their title defense. “Everyone was eager to defend the title, which was a very good mindset from the team. It also added that most of the [other competing] schools [were] also eager to take the title from us,” she said.

Parallels from their previous championships were evident in their latest title. Facing a familiar foe, the Blue Eagles sought to replicate their Season 81 mastery against the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons en-route to their third crown.

Throughout the rest of the season, the Ateneo community made their presence felt, with De Guzman emphasizing how their support in the Finals became her most memorable experience in their campaign. “Half of the [arena] was pure Ateneans and I was shocked that a lot of people came to support us,” she said.

In recalling the lead-up to the championship, De Guzman also noted the immense responsibility she had as team captain. Her mantra throughout the final match—“in it to win it”—served as the driving force for her performance, which she hoped her teammates would emulate.

However, unlike their first two championships in Seasons 81 and 82 which ended in 3-0 sweeps, the Blue and White had their backs against the wall going down 1-2 against the Fighting Maroons in Season 85. Ultimately, the one constant that proved to be instrumental in their three titles was back-to-back Finals MVP Chanelle Lunod, who continued her dominant display in their title-clinching singles match. In a poetic finish to cap off their third consecutive title, the Season 82 Team Captain secured the final team-tie to secure the championship for Ateneo.

According to De Guzman, the larger culture of family cultivated within the AWBT throughout the years also played a huge role in defining their championship season: “Of course you have to have that certain bonding for you to be able to feel the fire and desire of each player for it to pass on.”

Dynasties renewed

Having successfully defended their titles, the consecutive titles of FAST and AWBT are testaments to the winning culture established by their programs. Now, both captains assert that although they established their respective dynasties in the UAAP, their journeys are far from over.

De Guzman shared her thoughts on raising the bar for all succeeding Ateneo sports teams. “I don’t want to feel that it’s about setting a standard because there will come a time that someone else will far exceed whatever I may have accomplished now,” she said.

The captain added, “At the end of the day, what matters most is that I did my best and we offered it back to the Lord.”

Meanwhile, Tirol identified key aspects to work on moving forward. “To a certain extent, we can say that we’re renewing the dynasty kasi iba-iba na ‘yung team members na pumapasok. But we’re also continuing the dynasty of the last decade because it’s still the same team. It’s still the same culture of excellence that started with them and continues with us today.”

As both teams prepare for the future, the dynasties they cemented are reflections of how their culture provided the groundwork for winning programs and will ultimately serve as their lasting legacy.


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