Inter-American University gets a day off in recognition of Las Justas victory
By The Star Staff
Inter-American University of Puerto Rico will not hold classes today in celebration of winning the team championship at the Interuniversity Athletic League (LAI) Sports Festival Athletics Fair held Saturday at José A. Figueroa Freyre Stadium in Mayagüez.
“On Monday there will be no classes. The faculty has the day free. The administration has the day free. The eight PRE-K to 12 schools will also have no classes,” Inter-American interim president Dr. Rafael Ramírez Rivera said Sunday in a written statement. “The president and his three vice presidents have to work, because we have meetings that we cannot postpone; we do it for the students and for our community.”
The yellow and green team finished the 2023 edition of the athletic competition widely known as Las Justas with 253 points in the men’s division and 240.5 points on the women’s side. In addition, the most valuable athletes were from Inter-American: Jorelis Vargas, with 24 points (gold in the women’s 5,000 meters, silver in the 10,000 meters and bronze in the 1,500 meters), and Héctor Pagán with three golds in men’s 1,500 meters, 5,000 meters and 10,000 meters.
The Inter-American Tigers and Tigresses’ closest rival was Universidad Ana G. Méndez (UAGM). The Taínos and Taínas raised their runners-up cups with 174 points and 202.50 points, respectively. Third place was shared between the Tarzanes de Mayagüez and Jerezanas de Río Piedras, both University of Puerto Rico campuses, each with 148 points.