28/10/2025
Polytechnic University of the Philippines scored over the weekend a rare double-title sweep, the first time it registered the feat in its University Games participation.
The PUP Radicals topped both divisions of taekwondo and athletics, where it took a combined tally of 14 gold, 12 silver and 7 silver medals.
The PUP lady jins are the defending champions. The men’s taekwondo team registered a 4-4-0 medal count while the distaff side posted 2-4-2 to keep the title.
The women’s athletics team registered a 9-7-2 medal yield to pace second placer University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos (6-4-9) and University of Mindanao (4-3-2), third overall.
The PUP men (5-5-5) edged runners-up UNO-R (5-4-3) and University of the Philippines-Cebu (4-5-6).
The four victories made not only the sports program community happy but also the whole university, said Ron Hubbard, PUP director of the Sports Development Program Office, as he pointed out that the taekwondo team really prepared for the games after taking the women's title and finishing first runner-up last year.
Hubbard also said that the twin victories in athletics came as a surprise as PUP has just started this academic year the process of restrengthening its track and field team.
We are glad our rebuilding efforts in athletics paid off this early, Hubbard said, adding that part of the effort is the hiring of former national coaching staff personnel, led by Jojo Posadas, now the University’s athletics head coach
Kristine Guiriba, PUP sports documentation and coaching staff member, said the twin sweeps mark the success of our sports program and embodies the university’s enduring culture of excellence – one that thrives in academics, culture, and sports.
It reflects our shared vision of becoming a leading Polytechnic University in Asia and nurturing well rounded scholars and champions, she said, adding: “Guided by our motto, ‘Mula Sayo, Para sa Bayan,’ we honor the commitment, passion, and resilience of our athletes who bring pride and inspiration to our Sintang Paaralan.”
Central Philippine University (4-2-0) placed second overall in the taekwondo men's division with VMA Global College (1-1-0) and University of San Agustin, finishing third and fourth, respectively.
In the women’s group, USA (2-2-1), CPU (2-2-0) and University of Mindanao settled for the runner-up positions.
Mentoring the champion PUP teams are Mark Harry Diones, Raul Abangan and Anthony Asuncion (athletics) as well as Angelito Laga, Sidney Crispino and Joey Paja (taekwondo).
PUP is the fifth school to have swept at least two events in one year.
Unigames records show that the last time a double sweep was posted was in the 2018 staging when University of Santo Tomas took both titles in volleyball and beach volleyball.
A year earlier, UST, likewise, won both titles in volleyball and athletics.
The University of the Philippines and De La Salle University have the most number of title sweeps at three.
UP won in both divisions in swimming, lawn tennis and table tennis in 1997 while DLSU triumphed in swimming, volleyball and lawn tennis in 2003.
UP also posted sweeps in swimming and lawn tennis in 1999.
One other school – De La Salle College of St. Benilde has the distinction of winning titles in both men and women’s groups – in lawn tennis and taekwondo – in 2015.
With the strengthening if our program, we hope to have a stronger participation in the years ahead, Hubbard said.🏆
