JOSE Rizal University completed a three-peat in the seniors division at the close of the NCAA track and field championships Sunday at the Philsports oval.

It was the Bombers’ seventh championship overall, having also won in 2011-2015, 2019 and last year when track and field competitions resumed after it was scrapped for three seasons due to the pandemic.

Santo Tomas, La Union native Frederick Ramirez, a national team mainstay, led JRU’s title run by ruling the 200- meter and 400-meter races in record fashion to become the seniors division MVP for a second season in a row.

In his final year, Ramirez set a new NCAA record in the 200 meters after finishing with 21.43s and logged 46.95s for a new league mark in the 400 meters. He was also a part of the gold-medal winning 4×400 relay team that also set a new NCAA record.

Ramirez added a bronze in the 800-meter event.

Handled by decorated coach Elma Muros-Posadas, JRU tallied 826.5 points as it bested 26-time winners Mapua, which placed second for a third straight season with 584 points, and Arellano University, which ended up third with 540 points, for the title.

The Rookie of the Year went to John Dave Puno of JRU.

University of Perpetual Help System Dalta, meanwhile, successfully defended the juniors crown, with Marvin Ramos securing the Rookie-MVP honors.

The Junior Altas collected a total of 804.5 points to claim the title this season with a 153-point margin over the first runner-up Light Bombers with 657.25 points, while the second runner-up Braves had 503 points.

A Grade 12 student from City of San Fernando, Pampanga, Ramos won the gold medal in the 100-meter run, long jump, 4×100-m relay and 4×400-m relay.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Theodore P. Jurado