DLSU’s Lariba eyes 2nd UAAP top plum

MANILA, Philippines – Rio Olympics-bound table tennis ace Ian Lariba of La Salle looms as a strong favorite to bag the Athlete of the Year plum that the UAAP will hand down on Saturday as it formally closes Season 78 at University of the Philippines’ Ang Bahay ng Alumni.

Lariba, who shared top honors with Ateneo’s Hannah Dato and FEU’s Janelle Mae Frayna last year, made a strong case for a second consecutive AOY award when she spearheaded the Lady Archers to back-to-back crowns last October.

Going farther, Lariba brought honors to the country by becoming the first ever Filipino table tennis player to qualify for the Olympics.  

The Cagayan de Oro pride hacked out an 11-6, 11-2, 11-8, 11-5 victory over higher-ranked Indonesian rival Lilis Inoriani to clinch a “golden ticket to Rio” in the ITTF-Asia Olympic Qualifiers in Hong Kong last month.

Athletics MVP Karen Janario of University of Santo Tomas and chess champ IM Paulo Bersamina of National U, among other MVP winners from the 29 events, are also tipped to contend for the top plum for their feats in the international scene.

Janario, a Typhoon Yolanda survivor from Leyte, went four-for-four in a fiery debut in the UAAP and continued her winning ways in the Southeast Asian Youth Athletics Championships in Bangkok, where she led a one-gold, one-silver, one-bronze haul for Phl.

For his part, Bersamina helped the Bulldogs end a three-year title drought then carried the country’s colors in the 2016 Asian Juniors (Open-Boys and Girls) Chess Championships in Shahdara, New Delhi, India and in the third Japfa ASEAN Chess Championship in Jakarta.

Aside from the AOY, the league is also set to fete all the MVPs and Rookies of the Year as well as athlete-scholars who did well academically.

The closing rites will end with Season 78 president UP Chancellor Michael Tan turning over the UAAP flag to the next host, UST.