HISTORY UNFOLDED as the UST Junior Lady Fencers ended UE Junior Warriors’ 11-year domination to seize their first girls’ title in the UAAP Season 88 fencing tournament at the Makati Coliseum on Monday, March 16.
The Junior Lady Fencers secured their first championship since the event debuted in Season 75, finishing the tournament with a 3-3-3 gold-silver-bronze medal haul.
Sealing the deal for UST was a team sabre victory led by Lia Gillana, Kathleen Tuy, Martina Manazalay and Bailey Olayres, pounding through the Junior Lady Warriors, 45-39.
Aubrey Fernandez first nabbed a silver medal in the opening rites, as she fell in the girls’ individual foil final going up against UE’s Opao Cantantan, 12-15.
Meanwhile in the second day, Gillana had a successful title defense, bagging UST’s first gold in the girls’ division after she edged out teammate Tuy in the sabre individual finale, 15-14, which also made Tuy a silver medalist.
UST led the second day sweep following a 1-2 finish during the girls’ individual epee, as Fernandez initially bounced back with her second fencing gold by besting teammate and silver medalist Althea Lopez, 15-11.
In the boys’ division, the UST Junior Tiger Fencers concluded the tournament in fifth place with two silvers and two bronzes, slipping from their runner-up finish last year.
UST, led by John Malinao, Ian Miranda, Nathaniel Bernal and Reynaldo de Guzman, failed to clinch the gold in the boys’ epee team final, 45-21, pitting against tournament champions UE Junior Warriors.
Meanwhile, Ranzel Aberilla was hailed as co-bronze medalist in the individual boys’ foil competition, sharing the medal with Ateneo’s Derek Perez.
UE topped boys’ fencing with a 4-2-1 medal haul. Guest team PAREF Southridge followed with a gold and two bronzes, while De La Salle Zobel rounded it out with a gold and a bronze. F
