Swim Team Bags UAAP Titles

Written by: Anthony Lozada, Swim Program Head of Bert Lozada Swim School (BLSS) and DLSZ Swimming

The De La Salle Zobel School’s Lady Junior Tankers swim team made history last weekend when they bagged its very first Championship in the 13-17 Girls Junior Division of University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 79 held at Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
The Lady Junior Tankers’ victory also dealt former champion UST a shocking defeat, frustrating its grand slam bid in this category
Spearheading the onslaught was back-to-back MVP Nicole Meah Pamintuan who garnered 100 points to again clinch the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. She also broke three (3) UAAP records (100 free in 1:00.02, 200 IM in 2:27.55 and 200 back in 2:28.54) together with her six golds and one bronze medal.
Pamintuan’s campaign was supported by her teammates Bela Louise Magtibay who won two gold medals and broke a UAAP record (200 breast in 2:48.34), Raven Faith Alcoseba with two golds and a silver medal, Milcah Therese Mina with one gold and one silver medal and their gold medal winning 4×50 freestyle relay composed of Jana Laurian, Luisa Pascual, Shannen Tan and Julia Burgos.
The Lady Junior Tankers also beat University of the Philippines (UP), Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), National University (NU) and University of the East (UE).
The DLSZ Lady Junior Tankers is the junior representative of De La Salle University-Manila in the UAAP.
Meanwhile, the Junior Tankers also won the 2nd Runner-up trophy beating National University (NU), University of the East(UE) and University of the Philippines (UP). Leading the charge was Maurice Sacho Ilustre who also won his back-to-back MVP award by garnering 105 points and winning gold in all seven events (100 free in 53.76, 800 free in 8:37.92, 400 free in 4:06.21, 100 fly in 57.17, 200 free in 1:55.96, 200 fly in 2:04.05 and 1500 free in 16:57.11).
Also winning medals for the junior archers were Iñaki Lorbes with two bronze medals, David Franco dela Rosa with a silver medal and Yuri Ilustre also with two bronze medals. Moreover, Jose Antonio dela Rosa made an amazing finish by winning the Rookie-of-the-Year award.
“What we have accomplished this UAAP Season 79 is just the beginning of a new era for the De La Salle Swimming. It is our dream to once again revive the glory days of DLSZ Swimming and hopefully once again have Olympic swimmers coming from our school, just like in the times of Eric Buhain and Jenny Guerrero. We would like to thank Br. Bernard Oca FSC and Coach Ace Gacutan for all their support, the Bert Lozada Swim School team led by Anthony and Angelo Lozada, Garry Domingo, Jon Roxas and Karla Francisco. The DLSZ Swim team parents who had unselfishly given of their time and resources to make sure all the needs of our swimmers are taken cared of and most specially to all our swimmers who trained morning and evening, from Monday to Saturday for the past five months and gave their all for the honor of the Green and White… NON NOBIS DOMINE, TUO DA GLORIAM (Not To Us O Lord, But To Thy Name be Glory,” said Team Manager, Lawrence Sahagun.
COMPLETE TEAM LINE – UP:

1. Andre Raphael Abacahin (DLSZ 2018)
2. Luis Adrias (DLSZ 2020)
3. Gerardo Gabby Alava (DLSZ 2020)
4. Gerardo Rafael Alava (DLSZ 2018)
5. Carlos Roman Cabreza (DLSZ 2019)
6. Rafael Joaquin De Guzman (DLSZ 2020)
7. David Franco Dela Rosa (DLSZ 2020)
8. Jose Antonio Dela Rosa (DLSZ 2022)
9. John Paul Elises (DLSZ 2022)
10. Emilio Miguel Gonzales (DLSZ 2018)
11. Gavin Benjamin Ignacio (DLSZ 2020)
12. Maurice Sacho Ilustre (DLSZ 2018)
13. Yuri Ilustre (DLSZ 2018)
14. Iñaki Emil Lorbes (DLSZ 2020)
15. Jonathan Jacob Ramos (DLSZ 2018)
16. Raphael Carlos Sacdalan (DLSZ 2020)
17. Antonio Lorenzo Sahagun (DLSZ 2019)
18. Isaac Matthew Santos (DLSZ 2019)
19. Liam Anthony Tangan (DLSZ 2017)
20. Jesus Ramiro Racimo (DLSZ 2021)
21. Raven Faith Alcoseba (DLSZ 2021)
22. Samantha Borlain (DLSZ 2020)
23. Juliana Marion Burgos (DLSZ 2019)
24. Margarita Isabel Cabreza (DLSZ 2021)
25. Francesca Ysabelle De Guzman (DLSZ 2018)
26. Kayleen Zakia Keh (DLSZ 2021)
27. Jana Cassandra Laurian (DLSZ 2018)
28. Jessica Laman (DLSZ 2018)
29. Sabrina Laman (DLSZ 2019)
30. Everly Janarie Macalalad (DLSZ 2022)
31. Bela Louise Magtibay (DLSZ 2020)
32. Kara Angelica Mendoza (DLSZ 2020)
33. Milcah Therese Mina (DLSZ 2020)
34. Nicole Meah Pamintuan (DLSZ 2019)
35. Maria Luisa Pascual (DLSZ 2017)
36. Chrystelle Alina Reyes (DLSZ 2021)
37. Angela Shannen Tan (DLSZ 2020)
38. Dylan Marie Tangan (DLSZ 2019)
39. Katharyn Nicole Solic (DLSZ 2019)