STEADFAST EFFORTS and gleaming rewards arose for the Ateneo Track and Field teams amid their day four and five jaunts in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 86 Athletics Tournament. The Blue Eagles’ culminating affairs were held from November 25 to 26 at the PhilSports Athletics Stadium in the City of Pasig.
Fleet-footed sprinter Mari Sison opened the campaign for the Blue and White, presenting an ardent display in the men’s 400-meter hurdles event. With his rapier-like bounce and unwavering composure on the oval, the staunch athlete chalked up an admirable time of 1:03.70.
Thereafter, Ateneo Men’s Team’s Ray Vicente entered the fray in the high jump competition, achieving an astounding 1.75-meter leap in his third attempt. As such, the trackster strove for greater heights but fell short in his herculean pursuit to overcome 1.80 meters. Nevertheless, Vicente’s record shared an even result (1.75 meters) with adversaries from Far Eastern University (FEU), the University of the Philippines, and National University.
Jia Kawachi Award Ceremony for 1st place
Elsewhere, the long-awaited awarding for the women’s pole vault event took place in the afternoon, wherein Atenean skipper Jia Kawachi was presented with gold prestige for her record-breaking 3.61-meter leap. With the well-deserved medal in her hands, the Women’s Team Captain uttered this milestone as a befitting end to her remarkable journey as an Atenean athlete.
“I started back in 2016 as a freshman and I think I’ve gone a long way since […]. It’s been a rough journey, […] but here we are. […] My hard work has finally paid off,’’ the blue chipper expressed triumphantly.
The following day, the Loyola Heights-based team capped off their journey with Nash Candelario, Isaiah Yu, Julian Ramirez, and Joaquin Ipapo in the 4 x 400 relay event. From the get-go, the Blue Eagles faced tough contestants who donned their collegiate colors honorably. Nonetheless, in the final leg, Ipapo outpaced FEU’s swift sprinter to land sixth overall, securing four more points in the bag for the Blue Eagles.
Joaquin Ipapo 4×400 relay finish
After the meet, Vicente shared that the squad should relish in their feats no matter how minute or massive they were. “Everybody played so hard; everybody trained the whole year […] that’s the real season. […] to see everybody go through the journey and come out better [as athletes],” the stout-hearted senior stated.
With the season coming to a close, seniors Vicente and Kawachi conclude their last dance for their respective teams. Nonetheless, their courageous strides and the shared efforts from the tracksters ended their hard-fought campaign with 16.5 points each, serving as a symbol of growth and a forthcoming ascend in the track for the athletes from Loyola.
