UC men’s, USC women’s teams rule CESAFI athletics meet

USC athletics team poses for a group photo after their successful Cesafi athletics meet campaign in the women’s division. | Contributed photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines—As expected, the University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters’ men’s athletics team and the University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors’ women’s squad claimed the championship titles at the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) athletics meet held over the weekend.

The two-day competition took place at the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC) track oval, where the UC men’s athletics team showcased their prowess by winning 14 of the 21 gold medals available, along with 12 silver and four bronze medals.

Meanwhile, the USC women’s team secured the top position in a fiercely contested women’s division with an impressive tally of 10 gold and 11 silver medals.

READ: USC, UC top day one of CESAFI athletics meet

In the overall medal standings for the men’s division, USC’s team finished in second place with a total of four gold, 11 silver, and 10 bronze medals. They were closely followed by the University of Cebu Lapu-Lapu Mandaue (UCLM) Webmasters, who secured third place with a medal count of two gold, two silver, and six bronze medals.

The University of the Philippines (UP) Cebu Fighting Maroons rounded out the standings with one gold, no silver, and four bronze medals.

READ: Cesafi athletics meet: UC Webmasters eye impressive showing

UC Webmasters’ athletes and coaches pose for a photo after topping the men’s team in the Cesafi athletics meet. | Contributed photo

Final medal standings

On the women’s side, UCLM and UC Main trailed USC closely in the final medal standings. UCLM achieved a commendable 7-7-4 tally, while UC Main concluded their competition with a 7-4-12 finish. UP Cebu finished with a record of no gold, two silver, and six bronze medals.

READ: USC, Loberanis gear up for Cesafi Athletics despite concerns over CCSC oval safety

The UC men’s team, after securing four gold medals on the first day, surged ahead on the final day by clinching an additional ten golds. Thrower Vincent Renz Linamas and middle-distance runner Mark Mahinay were pivotal in this success, each winning two gold medals. Linamas excelled in both the discus throw and shot put events, while Mahinay, who also competes for the Spectrum Runners Club, triumphed in the 10,000-meter and 5,000-meter races.

Other gold medalists contributing to UC’s impressive haul included Rick Angelo Sotto in the triple jump, Jumar Torremocha in the 110-meter hurdles, Fred Johnsun Binondo in the 100-meter dash, and Oswaldo Arcelo Jr. in the 800-meter run. The UC men’s 4×100-meter and 4×400-meter relay teams also added to the gold count.

In contrast, USC’s standout performances in the women’s division on the final day included victories in the 4×100-meter relay and a noteworthy win by Vylotte Kaye Alvez in the 100-meter hurdles.

UC women’s division

Leading the charge for UC in the women’s division was Judy Grace Repeso, who garnered three gold medals, excelling in the javelin throw and discus throw on the final day. Her teammate, Crystal Villanueva, also made significant contributions by winning both the long jump and triple jump. Adding to their success, Cherry Andrin claimed victory in the 5,000-meter run.

UCLM’s gold medalists on the second day included Stephanie Conde in the 800-meter run and Angelica Mae Auman in the 400-meter run, alongside their 4×400-meter relay team.

In the high school division, USC-BED’s girls’ team emerged as champions, boasting an impressive tally of 15 gold, 8 silver, and 2 bronze medals, while UC Main claimed victory in the boys’ division with a score of 12 gold, 2 silver, and 3 bronze medals.