Servito leads SBC jins victory romp

MANILA, Philippines - Defending champion San Beda College leaned on the steady performances of tournament Most Valuable Player Ron Servito and three other jins in separate weight categories to retain its title in the 87th National Collegiate Athletic Association taekwondo tournament at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Adriatico, Manila.

The 19-year old Servito, a second-year IT student at San Beda, topped the middleweight category to lead the Red Lions jins to their third straight championship.

Also clinching the gold medals for San Beda were Ron Alfred David (lightweight), Devy John Singson (flyweight) and Ralph Bunda (finweight).

The Red Lions collected an aggregate 461.5 points, with the College of St. Benilde Blazers settling for second with 344.75 points and the Stags of tournament host San Sebastian College coming in third with 249.75.

The Red Lions, who also ruled the Smart MVP Best of the Best Taekwondo Championship held last October, now have five titles to draw even with the Letran Knights as the winningest taekwondo jins in the NCAA. 

They also had four silvers courtesy of Aljo Okamura (finweight), Dexter Rico (flyweight), Kevin Ngitngit (bantamweight) and Jheral Rulete (welterweight), and two bronze medals from skipper Niño Patrick Ferrer.

The Blazers, meanwhile, won three golds from bantam Glen Gacal, feather Ronnel Yadao and welter Dennis Rasaba, while Arellano won a lone gold courtesy of heavyweight campaigner Almer Tano.

College of St. Benilde, though, grabbed the women’s title from SBC after the Lady Blazers won 323 points to the Lionesses’ 241.5. The Lady Knights finished third with 234.

Women’s MVP Ma. Isabel Erika Mora (bantamweight), Kiela Montinola (lightweight), Karla Krizia Ramos (welterweight) and Charlene Virtudazo (mid-heavyweight) delivered the goods for CSB, while fin Regine Lumbo and fly Annie Flor Hernaez took a bronze each.

The CSB-La Salle Greenhills Greenies also repeated as champions, with juniors MVP Kirk Barbosa leading the way for the squad, which collected 428.25 points. The Letran Squires are second with 282.99 points, while the EAC Brigadiers settled for third with 193.91.

The Lady Blazers also dominated the poomsae competition, a demonstration sport.