University of Santo Tomas (UST) completed its redemption campaign by securing a league-best 15th men’s championship at the conclusion of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 87 judo tournament over the weekend at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

National team standout Troy Estrella, along with the lightweight judokas, finished what Chino Sy and the heavyweights had started, bagging UST’s sixth title this season.

The victory added to the university’s earlier championships in men’s beach volleyball, men’s chess, taekwondo poomsae and a double win in table tennis.

Estrella delivered a crucial performance for the Tiger Judokas, fending off a significant comeback from the defending champions, the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons.

He retained UST’s gold medal in the minus-66 kg category, defeating his teammate Jandrei Sotto in the final.

The 22-year-old completed his impressive run to the Most Valuable Player title with a swift tai-otoshi against his training partner in just seven seconds.

The competition was intense early on, with both the Fighting Maroons and the Tiger Judokas battling closely.

Key contributions came from former gold medalist Ralph Jefferson Suarez and Rodhenyel Lopez, whose bronze medals in the minus-60 kg category helped keep UST in the lead.

UP managed to secure two golds through national team standout Levyn Panganiban and returning Christian Michael Zuñiga.

Panganiban defended his minus-60 kg title against teammate John Paulo Almeyda with a 49-second uchi-mata, while Zuñiga retained the minus-72 kg title with an ippon-seoinage over De La Salle University’s Angelo Saria, just 27 seconds before time expired.

National team standout Troy Estrella, along with the lightweight judokas, finished what Chino Sy and the heavyweights had started, bagging UST’s sixth title this season.

However, the combination of two bronze medals in the minus-60 kg and that 1-2 finish from Estrella and Sotto was enough to secure the victory for UST.

Third-year judoka Janry Pamor capped off the championship with a win over the defending two-time minus-55 kg champion Hyejun Lee, who received a third shido for non-combativity with just 26 seconds left in the match.

The Fighting Maroons finished in second place, with Season 86 Most Valuable Player (MVP) Jayvee Ferrer earning the lone gold on day one in the minus-81 kg category, along with five bronzes.

George Baclagan’s gold in the plus-100 kg helped the Green Judokas secure third place, which included Saria’s silver in the minus-73 kg and Jason Palmes’ bronze in the minus-55 kg.

Ateneo de Manila University ended up in fourth place from four bronzes, while Adamson University completed the order of finish for the season.

Meanwhile, University of the East (UE) claimed a fourth consecutive title in with a dominant performance on the second and final day.

Graduating Lady Warrior Ma. Veneza Dayao led the heavyweights on the second day, building on the success achieved by the eventual MVP Leah Jhane Lopez and the rest of the lightweights on the opening day.

Rather than facing a significant comeback from the second-placed UST, UE fended off the late charges from the other competing teams.

Dayao, 25, sealed the championship victory over her sparring partner, Aescie Anne Ramos, with a tate-shiho-gatame at the 2:15 mark of the minus-70 kg final.