By ADRIAN STEWART CO
Negrense Bernalyn Bejoy of the De La Salle University (DLSU) Lady Tracksters retained her women’s MVP award at the close of the UAAP Collegiate Athletics competition at the New Clark City Athletics Stadium in Capas, Tarlac on Thursday, November 21.
The former Romanito Maravilla National High School standout took home two more gold medals in the women’s 4×400-meter relay and 400-meter hurdles for the fourth-placer DLSU.
Bejoy, fellow Negrense Hannah Jandra Delotavo, Jessel Lumapas and Erika Ruto set a new UAAP record in the 4×400-meter relay with a time of 3:47.37, breaking their own record of 3:50.33 set on December 4, 2022.
She, who also represented the country in the Southeast Asian Games, also bagged a gold in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 1:00.53.
National University’s (NU) Lenlyn Sanita (1:02.44) and University of Santo Tomas’ (UST) Justine Mae Catindoy (1:02.92) settled for silver and bronze.
The Bacolod City-native trackster earlier won gold medals in the women’s 400-meter and 800-meter events before settling for a silver medal finish in the women’s 200-meter dash event.
UST’s Jamela Deasis, a native of Negros Occidental’s Himamaylan City, dominated the shot put with a throw of 12.78 meters, well ahead of Far Eastern University’s (FEU) Mary Jean Maloy-on (11.82 meters) and University of the Philippines’ (UP) Aina Masangkay (11.05 meters).
On the other hand, Ilonggo Alfrence Braza of FEU emerged as the men’s division Most Valuable Player after taking home a gold medal in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.
Braza, who also bagged a bronze medal in the men’s 800-meter event, ruled his final event with a time of 9:30.93.
Finishing behind him is UP’s Josh Buenaventura (9:31.67) and NU’s Renz Cruz (9:37.44).
The Lady Tamaraws finished with a total of 397.5 points to claim their league-leading 25th UAAP women’s championship, their first overall championship since Season 81 in 2018.
The Fighting Maroons secured their 21st men’s athletics championship with a total of 290 points, while FEU Tamaraws and dethroned champions UST settled for silver and bronze medals, respectively./ASC, WDJ