Ateneo maintains lead in early penultimate swimming action

c/o UAAP

Rookies Ivo Enot and Francis Espiritu dished out record-breaking performances as the Davao natives helped Ateneo de Manila University continue to assert its mastery in the men’s division of the UAAP Season 87 Swimming Championships on Tuesday at the New Clark City Aquatics Center here.

Enot powered through a 58.59-second finish in the men’s 100-meter backstroke, to put himself in the position to clinch the gold later in the afternoon.

The Season 85 Boys’ MVP smashed the old record of 59.27 seconds held by De La Salle University’s Steven Ho which was set back on November 26, 2022.

“Breaking a record in my rookie year is such an amazing feeling. Well, it was kind of expected… to break the record since 59.27 lang yung record, and my personal best was 58.82. But again, it was such an amazing feeling kasi this is UAAP; and seeing everyone cheering for me after I touched the wall,” said the 19-year-old upstart. 

On the other hand, Espiritu, a product of Ateneo de Davao, continued a dream start for the Blue Eagles with a 1:05.46 finish in the preliminary round of the men’s 100-meter breaststroke. 

The 20-year-old Davaoeno shaved off the standing record of 1:05.56 by Alberto Batungbacal, also from Ateneo. Batungbacal’s record was set on October 14, 2017.

In the women’s division, noticeably absent from her events was De La Salle rookie Mikaela Talosig who had been leading her team the last two days, accounting for 50 of her team’s division-leading 155 points. 

Talosig was a no-show in the women’s 100-meter backstroke and the 400-meter individual medley despite topping the women’s 200-meter freestyle during the morning preliminaries.

Her absence leaves the door open for University of the Philippines and Ateneo de Manila University to capitalize on the rare opportunity to take the lead from De La Salle in the afternoon finals at 3:00 pm.

In the high school division, University of Santo Tomas continues its smooth-sailing ride to a four-peat double in the boys’ and girls’ divisions.

Over at the Athletics Stadium here, another new mark was set continuing the three-day streak of record-breaking results on the track.

University of Santo Tomas’ Azeneth Serat made a racewalk double after setting a new-record finish of 15:27.96 in the women’s 3,000 meters, which lowered UP’s Sally Campus’ 15:34.73 which was set on November 24, 2023. Serat finished way ahead of Fighting Maroons Juliana Talaro (15:44.88) and Julianne Bayola (16:13.82).

Nonetheless, Far Eastern University pulled away from the pack after a 1-2 finish in the women’s 1,500 meters with Susan Ramadan (4:41.39) and Nicole Diloy (4:42.66). National University’s Jessa Mae Roda finished third with 4:44.19.

The Lady Tamaraws collected 232.5 points as of the morning, 75.5 ahead of the UST Female Tracksters’ 157.

The Fighting Maroons continue to add to their lead on the men’s side which now stands at 165 points against the Male Tracksters with 117.

UP’s Clint Niño Neri also became a double gold medalist with a massive 14.94 meters in the triple jump. Teammate Ranier Sobrepeña and Adamson University’s Kent Francis Jardin ended second and third with 14.82 and 14.78 meters, respectively.

FEU finally got its breakthrough gold in the men’s division following the javelin throw title courtesy of Joemarie Lazaro with 56.20 meters. UP’s Arthur Alintog bagged the silver with 55.74 meters, while UST’s John Allen Butiong with 55.60 meters.

The resumption of the third day of competitions in both swimming and athletics championships are ongoing as of posting time.