Servando scores NCAA badminton three-peat

MANILA, Philippines - Nikki Therese Lim Servando put on another sterling performance to lead St. Benilde’s sweep of Letran and capture her third straight MVP crown in the NCAA badminton finals at the Asuncion Badminton Center in San Juan recently.

Servando overpowered Bea Rodriguez, 21-4, 21-7, in women’s singles as St. Benilde overpowered Letran, 3-0, with Danielle Escobar and Yna Zapanta routing Sharon Balingit and Karla Palma, 21-12, 21-5, in the doubles and Allizandra Candelaria beating Mia Armian, 21-14, 21-7, in the other singles match.

It was another remarkable season for Servando, a Culinary Arts junior who also excelled in academics, winning the DLS-CSB’s Gawad Sinag Tala Award as Female Student Athlete of the year last April for her academic, leadership and sports achievement.

A graduate of Trinity Christian School in Bacolod City and a Palarong Pambansa gold medalist in singles and mixed doubles, Servando is currently training under St. Benilde coaches Lloyd Escoses and Wilson Frias.

St. Benilde also took the men’s crown behind Mariuz Zapanta,Jefferson Patawaran, Timmie de Guzman, Jigo Libiran, Joseph Antonio and Austin Sangalang to dominate the league’s badminton competitions.