UPLB recently competed in the 8th Southern Tagalog Regional Association of State Universities and Colleges (STRASUC) Olympics, hosted by Palawan State University in Puerto Princesa City. Held at the Ramon Mitra Sports Complex and various local venues, the event drew student-athletes from 12 universities across CALABARZON and MIMAROPA.

UPLB participated in 16 of the 24 events, bringing home an impressive medal haul and showcasing the athletic prowess of its students. Notably, the university claimed gold in six sports categories. UPLB had a spectacular showing in swimming with 24 gold medals. Meanwhile, UPLB’s teams participating in the athletics, badminton, chess, table tennis, and taekwondo sporting events all secured gold medals.

In addition to these gold medals, UPLB athletes also brought home 43 silver medals and 57 bronze medals across various events. UPLB’s swimming team won 25 silver and 16 bronze medals, complementing their gold-winning achievements. 

UPLB’s student-athletes who competed in athletics, badminton, chess, lawn tennis, and taekwondo brought home silver and bronze medals. In addition, UPLB’s E-sports Team and the Women’s Volleyball Team also won silver, while the Arnis, Football, and Futsal Teams won bronze in their respective events.

Overall, UPLB finished 6th among the 12 universities in the region, significantly improving its performance from the previous STRASUC Olympics. This strong showing reflects the skill and passion of UPLB’s athletes, many of whom were competing in the STRASUC Olympics for the first time, as well as the rigorous training implemented by UPLB’s dedicated coaches. (Albert Geoffred B. Peralta)