By Aimerose C. Atienza

Far Eastern University (FEU) Lady Woodpushers dominated the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 86 Chess Championships after landing on the gold podium held at the FEU Tech Gymnasium in Manila City last November 19.

Green-and-gold rep Mary Joy Tan also bagged the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award while Shaina Magne Romanillos was named the Rookie of the Year (ROY) in the tourney. 

In an interview with FEU Advocate, Tan noted the collective efforts made by the team to claim the championship and her personal struggles to be crowned as the MVP.

“I think our hard work paid off kasi alam ko talaga kung gaano kami naghirap sa (because I really know how difficult it was for us during) training personally and as a team … Our team did our very best talaga (really) per board,” she said.

FEU Lady Woodpushers’ Tan and Mhage Gerriahlou Sebastian won gold medals in Board 2 and Board 3, respectively. 

Senior woodpusher Jasmine Tejada took the bronze award in Board 5, and ROY Romanillos added another bronze for the team in Board 6.

Morayta-based head coach Grandmaster Jayson Gonzales highlighted that the team worked hard for the championship despite instances of failures.

“May mga times talaga na dapat talagang wala na rin sa atin ang championship, natalo ng ilang beses din [tayo] eh pero natatalo rin ‘yung mga humahabol. So talagang pinakita rin na binigay [‘yung championship] pero kailangang magtrabaho rin (There really are times when we should have not secured the championship, we lost sometimes but those who are trying to catch up also kept losing. So, it is seen that the championship was somewhat given to us, but we also have to work hard for it),” he stated.

Meanwhile, the FEU men’s chess team garnered three medals with John Kenneth Gelua’s gold medal in Board 6, Christian Olaybal’s silver medal in Board 3, and Jeth Romy Morado’s bronze medal in Board 2. 

The Gonzales-led squad capped off the season with three championship titles in the girls’, boys’ and women’s divisions.

(Photo courtesy of Patrick Pampilon/FEU Athletics Department)