RTU dominates SCUAA-NCR boxing

MANILA, Philippines - Rizal Technological University (RTU) harvested eight gold medals in dominating men’s boxing in the 26th State Colleges and Universities Athletic Association (SCUAA)-National Capital Region Games at the Philippine State College of Aeronautics (PhilSCA) Villamor Campus in Pasay City Friday.

RTU bets, under president Dr. Jesus Rodrigo Torres and sports director Noraida La Rosa, were also off to a strong start in men’s and women’s beach volleyball.

The men’s side was toting a 4-0 win-loss card and the ladies team a 3-0 slate at press time.

Jovan Solmoro, Alvin Defeo, Proferio Aus Jr., Zairon Chavez, Romar Brina, Mark Alex Brin, Jhun Medardo Nucolan, and James Ybanez delivered the eight boxing gold medals for the RTU.

RTU boxers swept PhilSCA counterparts in seven final bouts while Defeo beat Nixon Paulino of Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) in the 49 kg.

It’s Solmoro over Antonio Dacules Jr. in 64 kg, Aus over Jhandy Zeus Chavez in 52 kg, Chavez over Gerard Ray Conche in 60 kg; Brina over Paolo James Cardinal in 69 kg; Brin over Marlon Kuzada in the 46 kg; Nucolan over Jake Nikki Sese in 56 kg and Ybanez over Geofrey Licoda in 75 kg.

“Most of PhilSCA pugs are rookie. But that’s not taking anything away from RTU. They are really strong,” said PhilSCA boxing coach Arlo Chavez, a former Asian Championships and Southeast Asian Games gold medalist.

PhilSCA vice president for administration and finance Dr. Felix Boyles and assistant professor Gigi Manaog, chairman of the board of SCUAA-NCR sports management, graced the boxing opening rites along with officials from the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP).

On Tuesday, a crowd of over 15,000 gathered at the Quirino Grandstand for the opening rites of the games with a theme “Moving ahead towards sports excellence.”

SCUAA-NCR is composed of seven participating schools, namely, Philippine State College of Aeronautics (PhilSCA), Philippine Normal University (PNU), Rizal Technological University (RTU), Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), Eulogio Amang Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology (EARIST), Technological University of the Philippines (TUP), and Marikina Polytechnic College (MPC).