Camille Naredo

NU's Antonette Medallada, Aeshia Oglayon, and Sophia Esteloso in the UAAP Season 88 poomsae championships, April 21, 2026 at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Malate. UAAP Media

NU's Antonette Medallada, Aeshia Oglayon, and Sophia Esteloso in the UAAP Season 88 poomsae championships, April 21, 2026 at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Malate.

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UAAP Season 88

ABS-CBN News

MANILA -- National University ruled the UAAP Season 88 taekwondo poomsae championships after sweeping the final two events of the competition on Tuesday evening at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Malate, Manila.This is the Bulldogs&#x27; first poomsae crown since Season 85, as they denied University of Santo Tomas&#x27; bid for a third straight championship.This was National U&#x27;s fifth title in Season 88, after also ruling men&#x27;s athletics, women&#x27;s standard chess, women&#x27;s tennis, and baseball.With NU, UST, and De La Salle University each claiming one gold medal early, the outcome boiled down to the team events, where the Bulldogs&#x27; trios delivered the golds they needed.The women&#x27;s team of Antonette Medallada, Aeshia Oglayon, and Sophia Esteloso handled business in the final, posting an average of 8.967 to edge UST&#x27;s Aidaine Laxa, Nicole Labayne, and Heza Serapio, who scored 8.900.<div> </div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1776780272007UAAP88 Poomsae - NU Medallada, Oglayon, Esteloso-2199.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="NU&#x27;s Antonette Medallada, Aeshia Oglayon, and Sophia Esteloso in the UAAP Season 88 poomsae championships, April 21, 2026 at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Malate. UAAP Media" width="960"/>NU&#x27;s Antonette Medallada, Aeshia Oglayon, and Sophia Esteloso in the UAAP Season 88 poomsae championships, April 21, 2026 at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Malate. UAAP Media</div>La Salle&#x27;s Sofia Sarmiento, Casey de Leon, and Khia Cortez placed third after narrowly beating University of the Philippines&#x27; Jona Castillo, Kate Orosco, and Jilliean Villar, 8.800 to 8.767.UST, represented by King Nash Alcairo, Dane Subaste, and Leno Maximus Subaste, fired a strong 9.130 in the men&#x27;s team event, threatening to retain the title for a third straight season.However, NU&#x27;s Ian Corton, Ceanne Rosquillo, and Carl Johnsen Ong rose to the occasion, scoring 9.210 to clinch the gold and seal the championship for the Bulldogs.La Salle once again finished third ahead of UP, with Carl John Viloria, Nathanael Managbanag, and Jesserey Frantilla scoring 9.030, surpassing Jian Borbon, Cye Evangelista, and Aaron Geslani&#x27;s 8.800.Eventual Season MVP Corton gave NU an early edge by retaining the individual male title, finishing with 9.090 in the finals.UST&#x27;s Leno Subaste secured the silver with 8.860, while Ateneo de Manila University&#x27;s Joaquin Tuzon earned a bronze with 8.700. La Salle&#x27;s Viloria claimed the other bronze with 8.600.In the women&#x27;s individual event, La Salle&#x27;s Sarmiento stunned the field to capture the Green Jins&#x27; lone gold.The graduating senior scored 8.960, narrowly ahead of Season 84 Rookie-MVP Laxa of UST (8.850), defending champion Medallada of NU (8.840), and Ateneo&#x27;s Elizabeth Borres (8.610).The Tiger Jins made it a three-way race after winning the mixed pair event, with Alcairo and Labayne posting 9.150.The UST duo outperformed La Salle&#x27;s De Leon and Managbanag (8.960), NU&#x27;s Oglayon and Ong (8.920), and UP&#x27;s Joshua Cachero and Villar (8.870) to claim their lone gold.NU&#x27;s Oglayon and Ong were named co-Rookies of the Year.In the freestyle events, UST captured three of the four gold medals to build momentum heading into next season.The Tiger Jins ruled the individual male, individual female, and mixed team events, with Jeus Gabriel Yape winning two golds.La Salle&#x27;s Sofia Ignacio claimed the remaining gold in the individual female event, adding one silver and one bronze to her haul.Far Eastern University also made its mark with three silver medals in the demonstration competition.In the high school division, UST secured the overall title with two golds, two silvers, and one bronze, led by inaugural MVP Angel Dacanay.NU Nazareth School finished second with a 1–2–3 tally, while Ateneo de Manila placed third with 1–1–0.Earlier in the day, three jins from the FEU-Diliman squad booked spots in the gold medal matches of the High School Boys&#x27; kyorugi set for Friday.Josh Pinatacan will face Ateneo&#x27;s Jonathan Chupungco in the under-48 kg final, while Jay-ar Cruza takes on NUNS&#x27; Ethan Chavez in the under-55 kg division. Elisha Kleon Baquial is set to battle UST&#x27;s Raphael Gaupo in the over-70 kg class.In the under-63 kg category, NUNS&#x27; Chuck Alario will meet UST&#x27;s Akira Malonzo for the gold, while the under-70 kg division will feature an all-UST final between Khadryck Costina and Vonryan Romantico.

National University ruled the #UAAPSeason88 taekwondo poomsae championships after sweeping the final two events of the competition on Tuesday evening at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Malate, Manila.

National University ruled the #UAAPSeason88 taekwondo poomsae championships after sweeping the final two events of the competition on Tuesday evening at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Malate, Manila.

UAAP: NU denies UST's three-peat bid, reclaims poomsae crown

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UAAP: NU denies UST's three-peat bid, reclaims poomsae crown

ABS-CBN News

Published April 21, 2026 11:10 PM PHT

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taekwondo

poomsae

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UAAP Season 88

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