In Spin.ph's 'Before Lockdown' series, we take a look at the "last two minutes" before sports was completely shut down around the globe. Athletes from the few games that were played this year look back on the last few days (and the last few games) before the new normal.
BEFORE leagues cancelled their games, the UAAP Season 82 Judo competition took off in the first week of March.
The clock was ticking and the University of Santo Tomas men’s judo varsity was on the verge of either winning their fourth consecutive UAAP championship — or losing the title entirely.
“Before I stepped into the mat, UST’s total team score was at 27, and UP was at 28. We were down by one point and we had three final matches left na lang, lahat against UP,” graduating player Russel Lorenzo told SPIN Life.
“Sa -55kg category, nakuha namin yung gold, pero ‘yung sa -66kg, nakuha ng UP, tapos ako na ‘yung last match for a possible gold, and for a title redemption. The whole team and my coaches were counting on me, and I couldn’t let them down. Grabe ‘yung pressure.”

He didn't bow down to it, and the UST Golden Judokas scored a rare achievement: a thrilling 4-peat in the competition.
For the 21-year-old Lorenzo, his victory was a life-changer.
“Para sa'kin, judo is more than just a sport, it’s a way of life, a discipline. Dito, siguro 30% lang ‘yung physical aspect kasi ang most important part ng judo is establishing your respect for others on a spiritual level,” he shared. “We do a simple bow to everyone with higher ranks, slowly, nagiging habit din yon in life. I learned self-control and discipline.”
The small and lanky kid from the heights of Baguio City had only dreamt of making it into the metro. But martial art ran in his blood: His mother, Racquel, is a judoka legend and a former Philippine national team member who has won several medals in international competitions.
Yet the sport did not spark any interest in Russel until he was in high school.

“Taga-Baguio ako, and I think kung hindi dahil sa judo, wala ako ngayon sa UST and sa Manila. Dahil dito, nakatulong ako sa parents ko with the scholarship. Kasi ‘nung una kong tryout, hindi pa ako pasado sa standards ng judo sa UAAP kasi third year high school na ako nag-start ng sport. So ang tagal kong hinintay ‘yung decision ni coach,” he recalled.
His collegiate career is over, but he finished it with a bang, making his own mark in the small but intact judo community in the country. He's now trying to follow the footsteps of his mother, vying for a spot in the national team.
Lorenzo is also part of a team that founded a judo club in Navotas (in cooperation with the local government) to create more opportunities for the sport as they introduce it to young kids.
“Judo has changed me and my perspective in life, it built my self-esteem, and I want others, especially the young ones na big dreamers, to experience that too,” he added.
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